


A Bachelor for Charity

by Jewels2876



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: A Bachelor for Charity, F/M, Fluff and Angst, My Bachelorette Version, Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-09-06 20:25:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 33,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16839790
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jewels2876/pseuds/Jewels2876
Summary: Two weeks in with new people and feelings coming to light. How will it play out?





	1. Chapter 1

"Come on!" Jenna begged. "It's for a great cause and you'll get to meet some fabulous men!"

Jenna was one of your best friends. It wasn't your fault she had ended up on Bachelor in Paradise and found the man of her dreams. So of course, when Chris Harrison had asked her to recommend a single friend for a 'special' edition of The Bachelor, she had thought of you. You had rolled your eyes at the idea; you didn't voice your opinion aloud but you had never been a fan of the reality dating show & had no desire to date openly in the public eye.

"Seriously! Just hear him out. If you don't like the premise just decline. I'm sure they have PLENTY of other women who would love to be in your shoes." Jenna was undeterred in her conviction.

“Fine,” you sighed. “Just don’t hold your breath!”

*

Six months later

You were sitting in hair and makeup; you had picked out the red halter dress for its sparkling detail around the neck and its basic mermaid shape showing off your hourglass figure. The hair stylist was attempting to twist a chignon but it refused to hold. 

“How many bobby pins can you stand,” he had asked with a laugh. You smiled at him in sympathy. “I rarely have my hair up. Maybe instead push it to the side into a mess of curls?” Your hair cooperated better and stayed in place in your suggested style, curls spilling down your neck. You glanced at yourself in the mirror. Remember this is for charity; you have no obligations to anyone or anything except yourself, you chanted repeatedly in your head.

When ABC and Chris Harrison had explained the concept to you, that you would have 30 guys fighting for your attention, it would not necessarily be for love, but for the love of their charity. You would narrow it down to one guy and his charity of choice would get a donation of $25,000.00. You didn’t have the heart to turn down such a unique opportunity, regardless of the participants.

Jenna had been over the moon at your acquiescence, and helped you make wardrobe choices and shopped for anything and everything you needed. Your family also pitched in when they heard you were putting any money the show was giving you to the charity as well. It seemed the minute people heard ‘charity,’ they knew you weren’t looking for the 15 minutes of fame most Bachelors or Bachelorettes had been. 

Harrison came to your side. “We’re all set. The limos will be arriving any moment. Per your request, they’re just getting out, giving you a polite hug, handshake, whatever their level of comfort is and moving on. No crazy stunts, no costumes, nothing. Trust me, when you see this pool of gentlemen you’ll understand they were EMMENSELY relieved to know that you were not expecting theatrics.” Your stomach fluttered nonetheless at the idea you would be meeting a group of 20 guys in less than an hour.

You stood up from the makeup chair. Harrison smiled. “For someone who’s not looking to date in the public eye, you certainly dressed up for the occasion!”

You blushed and grimaced. “I still want to make a fabulous first impression. Maybe someone will change my mind. I have had people telling me non-stop: keep an open mind and an open heart.” You shook your hands out, trying to shake off the nerves still creeping up.

Harrison led you to the front of the house and showed you your mark. “Just stand here, smile, and relax! Remember, no pressure on you for anything more than finding a charity deserving of such a large sum.” He turned to the camera now trained on him. “Just a reminder, the winning charity will be getting $25,000.00 at the end of this season.”

You took a deep breath as the first limo pulled up. You could hear lots of deep voices at first, then they suddenly went quiet. The door opened and 5 guys piled out. You gasped and held your stomach first, putting your other hand to your mouth. “Cut!” you heard Harrison yell.

“Shit! Shit, shit, shit! Fuck!” You dropped to your knees, Harrison already at your side. You stood up and turned on Harrison. “Are you kidding me? Seriously, you’ve got to be fucking kidding me?” The guys seemed to me amused at your reaction. You covered your face with both hands, feeling yourself turn scarlet from head to toe in embarrassment & anger. “Harrison, please tell me I’m hallucinating here.”

He chuckled and put a hand up to the group, signaling them to give you both a second. “Look, we wanted this season to be a surprise for EVERYONE. The guys you’re about to meet are big deals, and we probably wouldn’t have gotten away with it if… well… it wasn’t ABC and Disney.” Harrison lightly touched your arm. “Just think of them as the charity they represent, or the fact that they are still human, despite their fame. You CAN do this.” Harrison stepped back and gestured for one of the guys to step up.

Your hands were shaking and you took a deep breath as Robert Downey Jr. stepped in front of you. He had an easy smile and took your hand. “Pleasure to meet you.” The rest of the group followed suit: Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson, Vin Diesel, and Zachary Levi. You noticed Zachary’s gaze linger over you a bit before walking into the house. You waited until he was long past before allowing yourself a small smile.

Harrison came up to you again and asked how you were doing. “Now that I know I’m dealing with some serious celebrities, I’m a little better.” He stepped back as the next limo came up.

Just as before the group got out as a group and you were pretty sure that you wanted to either crawl under a rock or hit something that could stand it. This time it was Anthony Mackie that approached you first, giving you a big hug and smile. “You look beautiful,” he told you. “I’ll wager you come out of here with more than just a generous heart.”

“Thank you!” You give him a warm smile and you thought you heard a small groan. Anthony went inside. The rest of the group followed: Benedict Cumberbatch, Dave Bautista, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Sebastian Stan. Sebastian lingered for just a moment at your side. “For the record,” he whispered, “you look better than beautiful. You look gorgeous.” His smile did something to your heart. You smiled back and gave him a quick hug before he went in. Deep breaths, you kept telling yourself.

Harrison put himself in your line of vision. You nodded once at him, and the next limo came into view. This group was just as charming as the rest but much more reserved: Clark Gregg, Don Cheadle, Paul Bettany, Sam Rockwell, and Paul Rudd.

Harrison came forward and let you know you were half way through meeting everyone, while the next limo came to a stop. Harrison moved back and the next group stumbled out. You had to chuckle at what seemed like a ragtag bunch: Jeremy Renner, Idris Elba, Michael Pena, Frank Grillo, and Bradley Cooper. Each one gave you a kiss on the cheek as they introduced themselves.

The next to last limo pulled up into the driveway. A gentleman stepped out that you didn’t recognize at first, until you put the theme together & finally pulled up the name Guy Pearce. He was polite and shook your hand. Then Chadwick Boseman came out in a sharp black tux and a big smile. He gave you a small hug. Then three Chris’s came into view and you thought you were going to faint. Evans, Hemsworth, and Pratt. You jokingly looked around for a moment. “Is Pine hiding in the bushes somewhere?” All three chuckled at you as they also gave you hugs. Harrison deadpanned aside, “He wasn’t able to make it.” Evans gave you a once over. “I think I’m glad he couldn’t make it.”

The last limo pulled up to a stop. You took one last deep breath and steeled yourself for what could be the worst. The door opened and you recognized Josh Dallas from Once Upon A Time. You gave him a beaming smile and he returned it, giving your hand a squeeze. Then Tom Hiddleston unfolded himself. You were certain your heart dropped at the sight of his slender frame and curly hair. He gave you a huge smile and hug. “Darling you look… brilliant!” You blushed and thanked him. Tom Holland and Josh Brolin quickly followed. Then lastly, Dominic Cooper came into view. He looked handsome in a navy pinstripe suit. You could feel your whole face light up and he gave you a kiss on the cheek before shamelessly checking you out. “Doll, you might end up with a guy after all, if you’re as lovely as you look.” You giggled. “You’ll have to find out,” you teased.

As Dominic went into the house, Harrison approached you for the last time. “You have got quite the group in there,” he joked.

“Tell me about it!” You fanned yourself. “In all seriousness though, this is going to be fun but tough.”

You surveyed the group of guys milling around the living room and patio. One more deep breath before you asked for everyone’s attention. “Good evening!” The din of voices went silent and all eyes turned to you. You smiled and continued. “For those of you who may not know, Chris Harrison will not be our ‘host’ this time around. I had asked for a couple of… I had made some suggestions that may or may not improve the flow.” Another deep breath. “While this is still for charity, ABC and Chris Harrison has hopes that this could be a chance for me to meet a guy, while also finding a charity deserving of $25,000.00. It’s my personal feeling that EVERY charity represented in this room is deserving.” You noticed several heads nodding.   
“Is there anyone here who isn’t familiar with this show? Raise your hand.” You saw several guys raise their hand. You smiled at them. “Smart guys!” Everyone chuckled at your candor. “Ok, so besides Chris Harrison not announcing every arrival or departure, or every other exciting moment, there are a few other changes. Firstly, no roses will be handed out. Secondly, a guy can leave of his own accord at any time, and I have the discretion to let a guy go at any time; you ALL have busy schedules and I can’t imagine that you would rearrange your lives for this. Or may you did, I’m assuming!” You chuckled. “Lastly, there are outings, the show will still call them ‘dates’, which are totally optional. For you gentlemen who are married or seriously involved, feel free opt out when you want.”  
One last deep breath. “Tonight is just for us to have fun! No one is going home, it’s just a chance for everyone to get to know me as I take the next few weeks to get to know all of you & your charities!”


	2. Chapter 2

The next day didn’t start well. Overcast skies and a misting rain dampened the idea you had suggested for a day on the nearby lake & a picnic. An assistant grabbed you after your breakfast and offered a few suggestions in the nearby area. The assistant suggested go karting; the idea of the guys racing around held an appeal, so you agreed to have that set up for later that afternoon.  
You walked out onto the patio in a simple smocked green sundress, carrying the cup of coffee you had made for yourself. You heard the door open and turned to see some of the guys joining you. Zach, Bradley, and Dominic nodded once and took seats; each took a long swig out of their respective mugs. Zach smacked his lips and smiled at you. “Mornin’! Now that I’ve had my first jolt of caffeine, I can be civil. How’d you sleep?”  
“Like a baby,” you answered. “Every other hour I was awake and fussy.”   
Bradley laughed at you. “So you know how babies really sleep then?”   
You grinned. “Yup! I’ve been around kids of all ages my entire life. In some circles they call me the baby whisperer.”  
“Really?” a deeper voice asked. You looked up to see Benedict and Tom Hiddleston joining your group. You scooted over a bit and Tom settled beside you while Benedict took the last open spot on an ottoman. “Are you able to lull any child into a deep slumber?” Benedict questioned.  
You smiled at the memory of a cousin who screamed bloody murder until they fell asleep in your arms. “Yup! My arms have always been the place for a screaming child, only to have them fall asleep. Why? Do I need to visit London soon?”  
Benedict smirked. “Possibly. My wife and I could use a break.”  
You heard a small commotion. Most of the guys were up now and jockeying for positions around the microwave and toasters. A couple of them turned around to see the group of you; you lifted your mug in salute. You turned back to the guys on the patio. “One more gulp and come on in so I can tell you what the plan is.” You stood and padded back into the house.  
Once you saw that everyone was in one place, you cleared your throat for attention. Of course, no one was paying you much notice at first so you turned on your phone’s alarm. Too little too late you realized the tone was the Marvel theme song, so everyone quieted down and looked around. You blushed and held up your phone. “At least now I know what gets everyone’s attention around here!”  
“Ok guys, so my original plan was something quiet and out in nature; however Mother Nature had her own ideas. So in a few hours some of you will be go-kart racing.” You noticed the grins on most of the guys’ faces. You saw a hand raised.  
“Yes, Paul Rudd?”  
He gave you a small smile. “Hey, you said some. So I take it not all of us are going on this adventure?”  
“You’re right. The outings planned couldn’t accommodate all of us; the most they would allow for is 20. The ABC assistant that has been my rock put the limos into a hat and the two picked were the odd groups out. So unfortunately, Paul that was your limo.” You gave him your best pout and he snickered. “The other group that is staying back is limo 4, aka the charming bunch with Bradley.”  
“For the rest of you, we leave in an hour and a half, so be ready!”  
**  
The misting rain had finally dissipated which was good since the go-kart track was an outdoor one. All of the guys pumped each other up, giving high fives, fist bumps, or just chattering away.  
“Hey guys, want to make this interesting at all?” you inquired.  
Tom Holland gave you a once over. “What did you have in mind?”  
You grinned at him. “I was thinking of dividing you all up into teams, and the winner of each gets a little alone time to tell me more about their charity.”  
One of the go-kart attendants approached your group. “Hi there! So you’re with the show?”  
“Yes we are!” You answered. “How many are able to go at a time?”  
The attendant looked at the track then counted heads. “Well, we have 8 cars all together, but 3 are backups. So you can run four groups of five. Unless you’re joining them?” He gave you an appreciative look.  
You gave him a bashful smile. “I might do a lap when this is through, but not with these crazy guys driving!” You gave the group a wicked laugh. “Ok, so everyone can group up as they came in their limos.” There was a quick scramble as some guys moved around. Once they settled, you called out the limo racing out.  
“Ok, limo 6, you guys are up!” Both Toms, both Joshes and Dominic ran to the cars, picking them out very quickly. The attendants made sure they were strapped in well before letting them all up to the starting line. “First one crossing the finish line after…” you looked at the attendant who flashed you a number of fingers, “four laps is the winner! Ready?”  
The guys revved up their engines. “Get set?”  
“Go!” Tires squealed; you flung your hands over your face. You watched the race unfold between your fingers, praying no one would hit someone else or the wall. A checkered flag flashed on the race board above you and you let out a sigh of relief then a whoop. Josh Brolin jumped out his car and threw his hands up in victory; some of the guys watching groaned good-naturedly while the rest of them gave him high-fives and fist bumps.  
The rest of the races went quickly. In the end, the four winners ended up being Josh, Guy Pearce, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Vin Diesel. The whole group had insisted that you try it yourself, despite the face you were very clear driving at fast speeds was low on your idea of fun.   
“Just do it, Nike style,” Mark Ruffalo teased you. “Even if you drive like a grandma.” You gave him a mock glare and picked the red racing car all of the winners has picked. You pulled up to the starting line; your stomach fluttered nervously. Out of nowhere, your heart started racing and your breathing turned shallow. The attendant noticed and immediately helped you out of the car. A couple of the guys, Tom Hiddleston and Benedict, ran over. “Are you ok?” Tom asked, cupping your head in his hand.  
You smiled at them. “Just a slight case of claustrophobia. I’ll be fine.” The three of you went back to the group.  
“Sorry guys! I’m totally lame and freaked out in the small space,” you explained. “I promise that I’ll try it again one day!”  
**  
Back at the house, you excused yourself from the guys to clean up before meeting up with the winners. The group of 10 that had hung back asked how the go karting went.  
“It was fun!” Chadwick was the first to speak. “I would never call something with 20 people involved a ‘date’ but she was having fun making fun of everyone’s various driving and/or speeds.”  
Paul Bettany asked. “Did she participate at all?”  
Benedict answered before anyone else could comment. “She tried but apparently she’s claustrophobic. She got in the car, pulled up to start, and the next thing I and Tom saw she was pulled out of the car, her hand to her chest.”   
Tom Hiddleston nodded. “I was surprised! She was shy about racing but it was more about the fast speeds not the car.” A few guys gave Hiddleston side-eye. Zach was the first to ask him. “Are you interested in her already?”   
Tom smirked at his friend. “I’m not sure; I know that seeing her in trouble did something to me, but I don’t know what that means.  
The rest of the group chattered on about the racing itself and gave each other grief again. Chris Evans and Sebastian pulled Tom Hiddleston and Zach aside. “Can we all agree that she’s special for agreeing to do this and that maybe all of us could potentially become interested if she keeps us around?” Everyone in the small group nodded once. Chris Hemsworth noticed his friend look over at him, knowing Tom would fill him in later.  
Overall, everyone was getting along well. Vin, Guy, Josh, and Aaron had excused themselves at various times to clean themselves up as well. Just as Vin came out, you appeared in a pretty, royal blue shift dress and nude sandals. You heard a couple of groans and noticed more than a few wide smiles. “Ok, I’m here to collect my winners!” You noticed the four had various shades of blue on as well and grinned. “There’s a nice dinner planned for us; come on!”  
The five of you stepped out to the driveway where a town car was waiting; the guys allowed you to get in first and got in behind you. The car sped along to the restaurant while you all idly chatted.  
After an hour and a half of chatting and eating, you excused yourself and grabbed Aaron by the hand. You found a cozy futon on the outside patio and had him sit beside you. “So tell me about the charity you’re doing this for.”  
He blushed and smiled at you. “I’ll be honest; I don’t work with any charity regularly like some of the other guys do. However, when this opportunity came up, Hiddleston approached me and asked if I would be willing to donate to UNICEF if I won.”  
“I appreciate the honesty,” you told him. “There’s nothing wrong about not having a regular charity! There are a few that I have because they affect friends and family of mine. You can head back and send Vin please?” Aaron smiled, nodding once at you.  
Vin appeared; you gave him a quick hug and indicated the spot next to you. Next to him, you felt very tiny and told him with a giggle. He grinned at you. “This is a weird experience.” His gravelly voice and direct eye contact made you blush. “But it’s cool; I didn’t get to meet everyone when all I had to do was Groot’s voice.”  
Your blush deepened slightly. “Your driving was scary good today! I think yours was the one race I managed to keep my hands from covering my face!” He laughed. “Ok so Vin, tell me more about your charity.”  
“Basically my foundation helps Americans donate to foreign non-profit organizations,” he gave you a more in-depth story. You nodded and kept your face impassive but mentally you were impressed.   
“That’s amazing! You really do it all, don’t you?” He blushed in response. “Thank you so much! I’ll let you get back if you could send Guy please?”  
Guy made his way to you and gave you a chaste kiss on the cheek. “Have you gotten over the shock of the celebrity around you?” he inquired.  
You shook your head. “Not entirely! I’m much better than I was when the first limo pulled up; I literally freaked out on Chris Harrison. So may I ask what charity you’re representing?”  
He grinned and relaxed. “I have a number of charitable organizations I work with. They all have to do with endangered animals and habitat preservation. I ended up with approval from the WWF; they do such amazing work!” He went on a little more as you relaxed along with him. You happened to glance at your watch and noticed the hour.  
“I hate to interrupt, but I need to get to Josh before the restaurant kicks us out,” you explained. Guy gave you another cheek kiss and went back as you saw Josh walk up. “Sorry about that!” you apologized.  
He gave you a smirk. “You had to bring all the Chatty Kathy’s hu?”  
You had to grin at his assessment. “It’s not all bad! So tell me more about the charity you’re here for.”  
He sat back. “I’m sure like the rest of us, there’s more than one charitable organization I have worked with. I came into this with support from all of them, but I’d really like to see Stand Up to Cancer receive the money. Cancer affects everyone at some point in their lives.” He paused to gauge your reaction.  
You offered a small smile. “Yes it does. I lost one grandparent to colon cancer, and several other family members have dealt with skin cancer, blood cancer, and breast cancer.” You sighed. “Like I said from day one, there isn’t a charity that doesn’t deserve a donation like this.”  
A member of the restaurant staff found you both and reminded you gently they would be closing soon. You both stood up and joined the remainder of the group at the front door. The limo ride home was quiet; you leaned against the back of the seat thinking. As the car came you a stop, you spoke up. “Thank you so much for a nice evening!” They all replied in various degrees of welcome while emerging from the car.  
An hour later, Chris Harrison was at your side. “Do you know what your decision is?”  
“I do.”  
Chris Harrison led you down the stairs to the rearranged living room, before showing himself out. You still wore the shift from earlier.  
“Before I make any decision, does anyone have anything they want to say?” You looked at all of the smiling faces. “No?” Silence.  
“Ok, then.” You took a deep breath to steady yourself. Again, the thought of having no obligations to anyone or any one charity repeated in your head. “I had a lovely day with most of you; the go-kart racing was fun even if my claustrophobia got the better of me!” You giggled. “To be fair to the gentlemen who didn’t get to join us today, you’re all staying.”  
Another deep breath. “Even though I didn’t get to talk to every single one of you about your charities, I have made my decision. For those of you more familiar with the show, they drag it out by calling each person staying. In this case, I’m electing to announce only the ones that are leaving.” Last deep breath. “The ones leaving us tonight are: Dave. Samuel. Guy. Aaron. And Hemsworth.”  
The five guys gave out handshakes and manly hugs. You walked the group out together.  
“I really appreciate you guys coming and playing along,” you gave each one of them a hug and a kiss on the cheek.  
Hemsworth surprised you by asking, “Can I have just another moment please?” You nodded and let the rest of the men get into the town car. “I should give you fair warning. I think there are a few guys in there who might express interest in you. Some of them could be friends of mine. Just do me a favor,” he stopped you from interrupting. “Keep an open mind. There are some really nice people in there; give them a chance.” He smiled at you and gave you one last hug before getting into the town car.  
You stepped back and let the car pull away. You peered through the window to watch the remaining guys mingle. You couldn’t help but wonder which ones Hemsworth meant.


	3. Chapter 3

While the guys had the next few days off from taping, the producers gave you a chance to look up some of the charities already mentioned. You were impressed with Vin’s self-run organization while you learned more about Stand Up to Cancer. The producers also let you know that another event was coming up in a couple of days that would include the 10 guys left out previously, and five other guys. When you asked about the extra five, Zach’s name came up. You smiled at the memory of Zach checking you out on the first night; maybe you could walk away with a guy, you thought to yourself.  
*  
Bright sunny skies greeted you. You smiled over your coffee mug; this was the perfect day for the outing planned. You picked up the remainder of your pastry and let the flaky crust and gooey chocolate center coat your tongue. You moaned low in appreciation.  
“Really?” You heard a deep voice ask. You turned in the direction of the voice and saw Chris Evans settling into a chair beside you. He nodded in the direction of your breakfast. “Would you call those sounds your ‘yummy noises’?”   
You giggled, covering your mouth with your left hand, setting the coffee mug down. You cleared your throat and ran your tongue over your teeth before answering. “Yes, I’ve always been accused of making noises while I eat. It’s a bad habit.”  
“I’ve heard worse,” Evans smirked. You blushed and shook your head. You both sat in silence taking in the nice weather as the rest of the house stirred awake. Before long, you heard the feet shuffling and microwave beeps. You turned towards Evans. “Time to round up the rest of ‘em.”  
You stood up from your seat and headed back into the house, Evans close at your heels. You motioned for everyone to join you, some with large cups of coffee, others with various bagels or pastries.  
“I’m really excited for this next outing; we’ll be visiting a local winery and vineyard! Now before anyone gets any drunken ideas,” you heard a few chuckles and noticed more than one fist bump, “there will be some fun challenges in store like last time!” You heard a couple of load groans and chuckled. “Ok, so the invite list includes the 10 guys that didn’t get to drive go-karts, and the following: Josh Dallas, Vin, Mark, Chadwick, and Zach!” You noticed Zach’s beaming smile. Deep breaths, you reminded yourself.  
*  
The winery was small but was nestled in front a small mountain range; the stalks of vines were perfectly aligned. The smell of grapes, dirt, and sunshine swept over you as a slight breeze rustled the hem of your white skirt. The guide walked the group of you through the fields, talking to you about how the grapes are grown and harvested. You felt a hand rest on your shoulder.   
“It’s beautiful out here, isn’t it?” Josh asked you. You smiled at him and glanced down. “Have you been having fun with this?”  
You shrugged your shoulders. “To be honest, I’m not sure?” You glance down then up at his quizzical expression. “I mean, I know what I’m supposed to be doing. And I know that this is supposed to be for fun and for charity, but I get some impression that maybe… just maybe there’s supposed to be something else? Something I’m missing?”  
A single cloud passed over the sun for a moment. The wind picked up and you shivered pulling the sweater tied around your waist off and over your shoulders. Josh looked at you more closely. “Is there any chance you might think there’s a guy here for you?”  
You thought about what Hemsworth had told you last week before answering. “Maybe? I wonder if there’s a chance with anyone? Or that someone here is looking at me that way?”  
“So the single guys have an advantage here?” you heard someone ask. Sam Rockwell approached the two of you. “Sorry, I don’t usually eavesdrop but I couldn’t help hearing what you said.”  
You smiled at Sam. “No that’s a fair question! I think I want to answer this with everyone around instead of it getting passed around. Do you mind rounding up the rest of our troops?’  
Sam and Josh both jogged off to get the rest of the guys; the whole group gathered close to the winery’s tasting rooms. You raised your right hand slightly and the group turned their attention to you. “Thanks everyone! Before we get to our challenge, I want to address a question that came up today.” You noticed several pairs of eyes scan the rest of the group, curious about who might have asked. “This experience was never meant to find love, the way the original show was intended. However, there are some single guys participating. I want to be clear that no one is being favored in this process.”  
You took a deep breath, trying to keep yourself calm and collected. “I won’t lie and say there is no interest in anyone on my end. I think people who watch would be skeptical if I wasn’t, or assume things about my sexuality. But my point is that my priority in this will always be the charities first, regardless of anyone’s marital status or lack thereof.” You scanned the group. “Any questions? Concerns?” You saw a bunch of heads shaking and a few small smiles.  
Taking a big sigh of relief, you grinned ear to ear. “Awesome! So now that you’ve had a chance to check out this place, we’re putting you guys to a little test.” You pointed to the right, where the crews had been quickly setting up large wooden vats filled with grapes. You heard a lot of groans and laughs. “You’ve assumed correctly!” you laughed. “Three groups of five are going to stomp it out! Group one will be Paul Rudd, Josh Dallas, Michael Pena, Clark Gregg, and Jeremy Renner.” They headed over to the vat labeled with the number one.  
“Group two will be Sam, Vin, Josh Brolin, Bradley, and Paul Bettany.” They took their positions as well leaving the last five to from group three: Frank, Idris, Don, Zach, and Mark.  
“Ok guys, we’re keeping it as simple as possible; stomp the grapes and fill up the buckets at the end. First team to fill their bucket wins and gets some time to tell me more about their charity. At least two guys should be standing in each vat.”   
You waited as each group took their shoes off and talked strategies. Once each vat had two guys, you started. “Ready, set, go!”  
You noticed that most of the teams had started with the taller guys. But when the buckets were still dry, the teams started on new tactics. Paul Rudd seemed the most determined and started doing a jig in his vat which distracted everyone, laughing their asses off. Whatever his tactic, his bucket suddenly started filling and you heard Zach yelp. “Hey, he’s winning!” Zach jumped into his vat and started dancing around, mimicking Paul. Soon enough his bucket started to fill up as well! You had to double over in laughter as guy after guy jumped in and started dancing in their vats.   
“Eat me!” Bradley yelled over to Clark Gregg, who flipped him off with a grin and stomped hard in a circle. You heard a whistle and looked over at a production assistant who was pointing to group two’s bucket that was overflowing.  
“Ok guys, we have a winner! Group two!” There was a flurry of high fives and a chorus of groans from the other guys. You chuckled as they all stepped out of the vats and looked between their grape covered feet and their shoes. “There are some hoses set up behind you to spray off your feet and some towels to dry off.”  
Once the guys had cleaned up, the entire group sat in the largest tasting room. Several bottles of wine and cheese trays and charcuteries were scattered on the table. Chatting ebbed and flowed between everyone before it was time to talk to your winners. First up was Vin. He greeted you with a hug. “Did you have fun today?” you asked.  
“That was definitely an interesting feeling on my feet!” his deep chuckle echoed in the smaller tasting room you had commandeered. “I know I already got to tell you about my company.”  
“Yes!” you tucked a leg underneath yourself sitting up. “I was allowed to look it up online afterwards and I have to say I’m really impressed! I have to assume you get a lot of help with your organization.”  
He agreed and went into more detail about the ins and outs of who did what and his own responsibilities. You were even more impressed when he finished. “Thank you so much! Alright I ran a little behind last time, so I’m going to have to send you back. Could you please send Paul back?” Vin gave you another hug and left.   
Paul Bettany came in shortly after and gave you a hug. “That was all kinds of craziness out there earlier,” he started. “Did you expect the competitiveness?”   
You laughed softly. “Not quite. I mean I expected a little, just not quite as much as there was! Remind me to keep an eye on Bradley next time!” Paul laughed with you. “So tell me more about the charity you’re representing.”  
He cleared his throat and told you a little about UNIFEM. “The biggest thing is empowering women as much as possible and in all ways. It’s not limited to the UK or Australia; it’s applied worldwide.” You smiled broadly at the clear passion as he spoke. A production assistant poked in their head in and gave you a ‘move it along’ motion. You sighed in response.  
“Paul thank you so much for talking to me! I’m being encouraged to move it along, so I have to cut this short,” you gave him a final hug. “Can you please send Bradley back?”  
Bradley came into view and gave you a quick hug and a grin. “Hey! How are you holding up?” he asked you.  
You couldn’t help but grin back; his was so infectious! “I’m doing ok! Watching you guys stomp out grapes was a riot! I didn’t know you were quite so competitive.” You giggled at the memory of him yelling.  
Bradley blushed. “Yeah I can get riled up some times.”   
“Lemme guess, Eagles fan?” you tease him. He groaned good-naturedly. “Don’t tell me you’re a Cowboys fan?”  
“Nope! But I’ll let you take another guess after you tell me more about your charity.” He agreed and moved into a little spiel about a program in New York called LeAp. Like Paul, you could hear and feel the passion Bradley had for the organization. Another production assistant interrupted the two of you, the winery was closing early due to an impending storm. You thanked her and you both got up and joined the rest, piling back into your vehicles.  
The trip home was slow; the rain came down hard and fast. Wind gusts whipped around the car and you could see the multiple lightning strikes all around. You relaxed back into your seat as the storm took shape outside. The house lights grew as the cars pulled up under the awning and you all piled out quickly running into the house.  
The rain slowed down a bit as you shook yourself out; the guys were taking off their shirts. You tried not to gawk but there were some quality abs on display. “Take a picture, y/n,” Zach teased you. You blushed at being caught. Then being the sarcastic person you are, you pretended to whip out a camera complete with sound effects. Zach chuckled at you.  
As the guys finished dry off, you asked Sam if you could talk now. He nodded easily and followed you into the solarium down the main hallway. Once you were both settled, Sam wanted to know more about you. “How did you end up agreeing to this?”  
You grinned at him. “It helps to a) know someone who actually went through this process and b) not have any pressure to think I have to find the love of my life. If it wasn’t about charitable organizations, I would not have agreed to put my dating life on display.” He nodded at you on your last point. “Dating in Hollywood means everything’s fair game, which is why my partner and I try to stay as private as possible.”  
You asked about his charity. “To be honest, I don’t really have a single charity that I work with regularly. However, a friend of mine is a big supporter of The Art of Elysium. If I would win, I would ask that it go to them. They do so much to reach out to everyone in and around Los Angeles.”  
“That sounds awesome! I don’t think I’ve heard of that before.” You wondered if production might give you a chance to look these charities up before you had to make a decision. Just then, the power went out.  
“Shit!” “What the hell?”  
You heard a screech and then a booming voice. “This is Chris Harrison, coming to you live from an antiquated megaphone. We have temporarily lost all power, including our backups. Sit tight, get comfy, while we see what we can do! Thanks for everyone’s patience!”  
You stood and stretched. “Let’s join the rest of them, shall we?” Sam offered you his arm and walked into the living room where the rest of the guys were either lounging around or playing cards. It was oddly quiet; you wondered if you had stumbled in at the end of something. Before you could ask or say anything Don threw down his cards. “That’s it! Somebody’s cheating!” You glanced at the group around him; a small smirk was evident on Dominic’s lips. Dominic caught your gaze and held a finger to his lips.  
You busted out laughing; Don looked at you then followed your gaze. “Cooper! Why I oughta…” The other guys chortled while Don chased Dominic around the room. Dominic threw himself at your feet and begged “Protect me!”  
You shook your head in amusement. “You’re on your own on this one. Maybe next time!” The lights came back on at that moment and a few of the guys cheered. Then Chris Harrison showed up and you groaned. “Excuse me guys,” you feigned annoyance. “Something tells me it’s another night of cuts.”  
Harrison pulled you aside. “You’re right; it is the next round of cuts. Do you know what you want to do?”  
You grimaced. “Not entirely? Can I have another hour or two to think on it? Oh and is there any way I can look up the charities that were mentioned tonight?”  
Harrison nodded. “Get changed; take as much time as you need.” He handed over the same IPad from before. “Good luck!”  
An hour later, you were sitting in hair and makeup thumbing through the latest articles you found. The pale green dress you had on caught the light and sparkled; the makeup artist was trying to match the dress and your eyes. “Y/n can you focus on me for just a second? Please put the IPad down.” You turned it over in your lap and let her finish her work. It didn’t take more than three minutes before she shooed you out of her chair.  
Harrison came back and took the IPad from you. “Decision time. Are you ready?”  
You nodded, a little afraid to speak. There were still a lot of guys but you were already feeling bad about letting people go. You tried to console yourself that even if the charities were out of the running, that being mentioned on TV would give them much-needed donations.  
You made your way to the newly arranged living room and stood in front of the 25 guys. You gave them a small smile before speaking. “I really had fun with you guys at the winery. We had perfect weather to start and I’m getting to know you guys more, which I really enjoy! Which makes these decisions a little bit harder each time.” You took a breath. “The ones going home tonight are… Josh Brolin, Sam, and Bradley.”  
Each of the guys said their goodbyes and you walked them out to the waiting town car, giving each of them a hug goodbye. As the car pulled away, you stood outside in the cooler air thinking on the guys you had left. Chris Harrison spotted you and draped his coat over your shoulders. “Is everything all right?”  
You turned towards the camera operator. He turned it off and skulked away as you turned your attention back to Harrison. “I don’t know. Josh Dallas, Josh, and I were talking earlier today and I said I felt like there’s something missing here. I still feel that way. Why do I feel this way?” You paused and collected yourself.  
Harrison prodded just a bit. “Is it possible that you DO want to find love? That maybe your interest in this process changed?”  
You shrugged out of the coat and handed it back with a rueful grin. “I guess I’m going to go in and find out.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Two weeks in with new people and feelings coming to light. How will it play out?

Another week had gone by; hanging out with these male celebrities had been refreshingly easy. There wasn’t any drama. No one was fighting or carrying on. It was nice and quiet. Almost too quiet, you thought to yourself.  
You were lounging by the pool in your pink polka dot one piece, soaking up as much sun as you could. A shadow fell over you; you glanced up at Tom Holland, who took a seat next to you dunking his feet in the water. “Hey there!” he greeted you in his adorable accent. “Fancy a swim?”  
You looked at your watch; it had only been 20 minutes but you were already feeling the tingle in your skin. “Sure!” You took off your white sunhat and positioned yourself at the edge of the deck. You turned around to face Tom, and then did a back dive into the deep end of the pool. You breeched the water to a small smattering of applause. You laughed. “Thank you, thank you!”  
You climbed up the ladder and grabbed your towel off the chaise. “That water is freezing! Holland, I don’t know if you still want to get in?” He shook his head and blushed. “Did you trick me into that?” you teased him.  
“They dared me!” He pointed to a small group outside, namely Zach, Josh, Anthony, and Sebastian. “I didn’t think you would actually go through with it!”  
You giggled. “It’s no big deal; I have always loved the water. I might have stuck a toe in without your encouragement.” You gave Tom Holland a pat on the shoulder. You then made your way over to the other guys and stood with your right hand on your hip. “Did anyone else want to go for a swim?”  
Zach and Anthony smiled at you. “Nah, we just wanted to see how you were doing,” Josh answered smoothly.  
“Really?” you smirked at all four. “Because you look like you’re ready for a dip.” And with that, you threw your left hip out sending Zach and Anthony both into the pool. Anthony grabbed your arm at the last second and you tumbled in as well.  
Zach was the first one up and out. “My, that was refreshing!”  
You and Anthony both laughed and started splashing each other. “Jerk!” “Brat!”  
You heard a loud yell “Cannon ball!” and a large figure ran at you full speed, jumping in to create a huge splash drenching everyone along the edge of the pool. You turned to see Evans coming up out of the water. You laughed. “How does it feel?”  
“Chilled,” he quipped.  
“Okay boys, enough screwing around, we’ve got a fun time planned for ten of you,” you grabbed the towel you dropped and wrapped it around yourself again. You went to put on a flipflop and noticed it was drenched from Evans’ cannonball; you rolled your eyes and quietly laughed to yourself. The guys who were still drying off stayed close to the patio doors while the rest milled between the kitchen and living room.  
“May I have everyone’s attention please?” The chatter died down as they gave you their attention. “All right! Today we have something planned and it’s going to be right here at the house! For those of you who don’t actively participate, I’m asking you to stay and be a member of our studio audience. For these ten, you’re going to play a little game show for us! They are… Tom Hiddleston… Chris Pratt… Chris Evans…Chadwick… Benedict…Robert…Zach… Jeremy… Frank… and Michael!” Each guy laughed and took a small bow as you announced each of their names. “Ok guys, the only thing I know for sure is that there may be some physical activity involved so make sure you’re in comfortable clothes and shoes! Get changed and meet me outside in two hours!” You bowed for the round of applause they gave you before you headed back to your room.  
As soon as you were out of sight, a small group of the guys excused themselves from the rest of the group and sat at a table by the pool.  
“So we’re in agreement still, correct?” Sebastian asked.  
“I’m in,” Zach quickly agreed.  
“Is there any chance that anyone else here doesn’t feel the same way, or should be included in this?” Tom Hiddleston asked. “To be fair, we are not the only single guys here that I can tell.”  
Chris Evans leaned in to talk low. “The only one I know for sure that could also be interested is Dominic; I told him we were trying to lay low for now, let this stuff come out later, but he didn’t seem very interested. Said something about it being deceptive.” Evans grimaced at the last thought, as did the rest of the guys.  
Tom seemed deep in thought. “Maybe we SHOULD tell her? I mean, she’s already been very clear that she’s not favoring anyone just because they’re single.”  
The door opened and Josh and Tom Holland stepped out. “You guys are plotting something,” Tom Holland teased. He noticed the blush creep over all four guys. “Really?! Are we ganging up on someone?” He pulled up a chair to the table.  
Josh pulled up another chair and arranged himself. “You guys are trying to get to her, aren’t you? I do have something that could be useful…” He let the bait dangle.  
Zach took the bait. “You found out something at the winery, didn’t you? She seemed to befriend you pretty quickly.”  
Josh smirked at Zach, knowing exactly what was going on. “As the single guys, you’re trying to bide your time. Have you thought about what happens when she finds out from someone other than you guys? Or worse that someone assumes wrongly that you’re trying to win her only to have your charity win?” Josh wagged a finger at the group. “She’s an amazing person, so don’t screw this up.” Josh got up and went back inside.  
Both Toms heaved matching sighs. Holland spoke first. “I know I’m the youngest guy here and everything, but I kind of agree with Josh on the whole being honest thing.”   
Hiddleston gave him an appraising look. “You’re both right.”   
Chris Evans looked down at the table, then up at the group. “Ok, so we play this the same way we have been, but now all the cards are on the table. I’m not saying every man for himself here but… good luck.”  
Everyone got up, pushed the chairs back in, and went to get ready.  
**  
You were back in hair and makeup again. This time you had on a cute yellow printed mini dress. “This isn’t too short, is it?” you asked the makeup artist. She grinned at you. “Seriously? With the man candy out there, you better start showing off more, not less!”  
You blushed as she handed you a lip-gloss to finish your look. You swiped it over your top lip and rubbed your lips together, filling in the missed spots. The makeup artist declared you perfection and shoved you off.  
The backyard had been transformed. A couple of small bleachers were set up on both sides of a marked off court. A small set of podiums sat at the top. It reminded you a bit of the “Family Feud” set up. All the guys had taken seats among the bleachers; each team sat on the front row of each side. Chris Harrison handed you the cards with the questions and he took a spot beside you, dressed as a referee.  
“Good afternoon everyone!” The guys cheered and clapped; you heard a couple of wolf whistles and you giggled. “Welcome to the game show with no name. It’s a show were ‘everything is made up and the points don’t matter,’ to borrow from somewhere else.” You laughed out loud.  
“Alright let’s get started with…”   
“Team Mayhem!” Chris Harrison interjected. “Chris Pratt, Chadwick, Jeremy, Michael, and Zach! Then we have Team Mischief! Evans, Hiddleston, Benedict, Frank, and Robert!” Each team stood up and high fived.  
You shook your head and laughed. “Ok guys, I’m going to give you a simple question. You’re either going to answer and get a point if you’re right. You can pass to the other team if you think they don’t know it. If you get the answer wrong, you get to work it off and the other team gets the point. First to 11 wins!”  
Harrison spoke again. “We did a coin toss before you came out, y/n, and Team Mayhem is up first!”  
“Question: how many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop, according to the commercial?” Zach jumped up immediately. “Three! A one, a two, a three… crunch!”  
Your smile was ear to ear wide at the excitement coming off Zach. “Correct!”  
“Team Mischief, your question. Name all seven dwarfs from Snow White.” Evans is speaking as you finish the question. “Sleepy… Happy… Dopey… Grumpy… Sneezy… Bashful… and Doc!”  
“That was fast! And correct!” you gave Evans a smirk.  
“Ok one point for each team.”  
**  
An hour later and both teams were tied at ten points. The guys had been hugely entertaining; every loss resulted in pushups, the number climbed as the wrong answers piled up. Most of the teams were shirtless, dripping with sweat. Both Paul B. and Paul R. got water for all of the guys. The audience had been bleacher hopping the entire game; there was clearly zero loyalty among the group.  
“Ok guys, this is literally the last question I have. I will read it slowly and carefully. Please do not rush to answer because if you both miss this, the game is over. Team Mayhem, do you want to answer the question or pass it off?”  
The team huddled up briefly; Jeremy raised his head and spoke. “We’ll take it.”  
You took a big breath. “Ok, here’s your question. What does S.H.I.E.L.D. stand for?”  
Clark doubled over in laughter. Everyone watched him bow his head, grabbing his stomach, then wiping tears away from his eyes. “I can’t… I just can’t listen…” He covered his ears as Michael started. “Strategic Homeland… Intervention… Enforcement… and Logistical Division. Yeah that’s it!”  
You stared at the card, then at Team Mischief. You pouted at Michael. “You were so close! It’s LOGISTICS – Team Mischief, you win!” Michael hung his head clearly unhappy with himself.  
“Guys! Guys!” you yelled as Team Mischief celebrated. Chris Harrison blew his whistle. “I’ve been dying to do that all day,” he commented aside to you. You grinned again.  
“Ok, Team Mischief, go get cleaned up! We’ll be having dinner out by the pool. Team Mayhem, you put up a good fight, but there’s one last thing you need to do.” You smiled and shrugged.  
Zach was quick to beg. “Please, no more pushups!”  
You smirked at his obvious request. “No pushups! But…” the fist bumps stopped as they looked at you. “There is a lovely recipe inside that you will need to start on, as you will be making our dessert!”  
Team Mayhem excused themselves to clean themselves up, while you and Harrison headed towards the pool area. Tom Hiddleston and Chris Evans hung back from the rest of their group. “So we start tonight then,” Evans looked at Hiddleston. “Are you ready?”  
**  
Dinner turned out perfectly. Each person scarfed down their steak, with sides of green beans, garlic-roasted mushrooms, and French fries. You were full and very tempted to save the charity talk for tomorrow. “May I steal you for a moment?” You heard a voice low in your ear that made you shiver. Tom was standing at your side with his hand extended. You smiled and took it as you excused yourself from the table.  
Tom led you over to a small cabana just past the pool. “Darling, I meant to tell you how lovely you look today.” You blushed and noted Tom’s short-sleeved blue dress shirt and navy slacks. “How are you feeling after today?”  
You hesitated to answer at first. “Today was fun. You guys got awfully competitive again, like the go-karts.” He seemed to sense that you were holding back but didn’t push. “Did you have fun today Tom?”  
He smiled and rested his arm on the back of the cabana, just above you. “I enjoyed myself, yes! Whoever came up with all of the trivia questions deserves a small prize.”  
“Thanks,” you grinned. “So tell me more about the charity you’re representing.”  
Tom’s hand brushed against your right shoulder; you shivered at the contact. He glanced down at you. “Please don’t feel obligated, but you can sit closer to me if you want.”  
Truthfully, you wanted to snuggle right up against his chest, but you weren’t sure how much he was offering or if he was just being nice. You inched closer to his side, his right arm dropped behind your back and his hand rested on your waist.  
“This feels nice,” he said softly. You kept your eyes ahead, mentally doing a dance of joy while externally trying to keep your cool. He started telling you more about UNICEF and his travels to the South Sudan. You half listened to the words, his tone low and soothing. You shook yourself when you heard your name. “Y/n, are you ok?” Tom pulled back to look down at your face.  
You stifled a yawn. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry! I got too comfortable apparently.”  
He hugged you. “I should let you get back to the others; it’s not fair of me to steal all of your time.” You both stood and smoothed out any obvious wrinkles. He took your hand and put it on his arm walking you back. You notice a somber face among the others smirking.  
“Benedict, you’re next, if that’s ok?” He stood and walked with you, towards the backyard. Just as you walked out of earshot, Benedict asked “So did my friend Tom leave a good impression?”  
You blushed and tried to suppress a grin. “He may have, but I have a feel mine was pretty poor. I started to nod off on him.”  
Benedict threw his head back and laughed hard. His grin was a mile wide. “He can be a talker, so maybe that will teach him a lesson,” he joked. “Are you having much luck with this process? I have a feeling I would be horrible at making cuts.”  
You smiled and gave a half shrug. “I love learning about all of these wonderful charities! And you guys have been such gentlemen, it’s nothing like I expected.”  
“Except?” Benedict encouraged you.  
You sighed and smiled again. “Except there is the nagging thought in the back of my head that I want more out of this.” You stopped in your tracks and took a seat on a small garden bench. “And at the same time, I don’t know if I should trust anyone here yet. I don’t really know anyone that well.” You looked up at Benedict who was standing over you still watching your expressions. “I should be asking you about your charity. Not putting all of this on you.”  
He finally took a seat next to you. “I’ll make you a deal,” he started. “Tell me more about how you’re feeling and if you keep me around for a bit, I’ll see if I can’t be a spy of sorts for you.” You gave him a slightly startled look as he continued. “I have plenty of friends here and get along pretty well with everyone else. I won’t spill secrets, of course, but I can at least help you sort out the truth from the lies.”  
You bowed your head and shook it slightly. “I can’t ask you to do that.”  
“You didn’t; I’m offering.”  
You pondered the offer in silence but only for a moment. “Deal. So, let’s start with the easy stuff. Is Tom really the charming adorable guy everyone makes him out to be?”  
Benedict laughed at your candor. “He really is. I think he’s a bit like you in the sense of his trust often feels misplaced or misinterpreted. If he opens up to you, it’s more than a good sign; it’s practically writing on the wall for him.” You smiled at the recent memory snuggled up to him. “Ok y/n, time to get you back. I think someone else may be dying to steal you away at this point.” You frown at the thought of who he might mean but you take his offered arm and head back to the patio.  
Frank stands up and asks if he can steal you next. You accept and let him lead you towards the pool, before taking a seat on a dry chaise. You smirk at the memory of Evans drenching everyone earlier that morning. You stopped your daydreaming and turned to Frank. “You seemed to have a lot of fun today! Those pushups didn’t phase you in the least!”  
He chuckled and jokingly flexed his arms. “These things have been doing pushup practically their whole lives. Although now that I know there are some guys out there who could use some help…” You laughed at the joke and rolled your eyes.   
“You are really muscular, I must say,” you commented. “Do you put those muscles to effective use for any specific charity organization?”  
He shook his head. “I wish I could say yes, but between my training, fighting, and acting, it barely leaves time for my family, let alone additional work.” He looked you square in the eyes. “But I’m always willing to put donations to good use. Evans has talked so much about Christopher’s Haven to us, both here and on set, that I would give my winnings to that.”  
You grinned at Frank. “So, he talks about it a lot then?”  
“And often!” he rejoined. The two of you laughed deeply.  
“Ok, I still have two more guys to talk to, so I’m going to let you get back.” He took your hand and kissed it making you giggle. “Can you do me a favor and send Robert over AND tell me if dessert is ready?”  
“Will do!”  
You watched as Frank walked back and joined the rest of the guys, gesturing at Robert. Then you saw Chris talking to Robert and Frank, the gesturing getting more exaggerated and voices getting stronger and louder. “Just let me go!” you heard someone say as you approached the three.  
“What is going on?” you asked. Chris had the decency to blush as Robert and Frank looked at Chris.   
Robert turned to you with a grin. “I hear it’s my turn; lead the way!” You grinned back at him but turned back to Chris with a questioning look. Robert rested his right hand on your left shoulder to get your attention. “Don’t worry about him. He’ll be fine.”  
You let Robert lead you down the same path you had taken with Benedict. “Y/n, you are one patient woman,” Robert commented.  
You chuckled. “You clearly do not know me that well! I can be as impatient as the next person with some things. Why do you say that thought?”  
Robert glanced at you. “You haven’t heard?”  
“Heard what?” you asked with a frown.  
Robert’s grin faltered. “Someone’s going to kill me but better you hear it now than later. I guess some of the single guys are trying their best to keep in this, hoping maybe they can win you to win this. I don’t know if that’s really the goal though.”  
You sucked in a deep breath and closed your eyes. This was supposed to be for charity, not YOU, you were thinking to yourself. “Robert thank you for being honest with me! I thought I was clear about why we were all here.” Your voice warbled a bit. “I’m not sure I understand how it changed so quickly?” You sniffed; you could feel your eyes tearing up in frustration.  
Robert put his hand on your shoulder again. “I’m pretty sure I can answer that, and then we’ll skip the drama and straight into my wonderfully awesome charity.” You gave him a small hug in thanks. “Ok so the reason it changed? You.” You stiffened, not happy with the answer. “Seriously, these guys see you’re doing this for charity and not to meet them; that softens them up to start. Then they talk to you and you smile at them, laugh at their corny jokes, remind them there are nice normal people in the world outside of Hollywood and they start to think. Then they look AT YOU and see how beautiful you are. Do you really think that anyone could be immune to all of this?” His hand indicated your head and waved down to your toes and back. Your face flushed scarlet and you couldn’t help but bow your head in embarrassed wonder.  
“Thank you, Robert, for the wonderful compliments. I guess I’m the one being a bit blind, hu?”  
He chuckled and went on. “Maybe. But hey, if you were a kid going through some horrible debilitating disease and wanted to do this, you’d contact Make-A-Wish, my charity of choice, and get the same wonderful loving attention.”  
You giggled at his brilliant segue. “You did that wonderfully.”  
“Thank you, it’s a talent I have: talking and schmoozing.” He took off the sunglasses that always seemed to be fixed to his face. “But seriously, if these guys start giving you a tough time, or whatever, please tell me. Charity aside, nobody needs that kind of drama.”  
You thanked him and started your walk back to collect Chris. He stood alone beside the dining room table, hands stuffed into the pockets of his dark pleated pants. He looked up at you, a small pout formed on his lips. Robert gave you a hug and slapped Chris on the arm. “All yours now, kid.”  
You stood there, just staring at Chris. The other guys went back into the house slowly, wondering if you were going to cut Chris right then and there. You tilted your head for a second, then looked back at the group.  
“Um guys, what happened to dessert?’  
Tom howled. “Darling,” he gasped, “come look at the kitchen.”  
You stepped into the house and swiveled your head. The kitchen was covered floor to ceiling in flour and red oozing piles. A few buckets were scattered around the floor and a group of five guys were in various positions: scrubbing at the floor, wiping down counters, or being talked to by a member of production. You shook your head and went back to the patio. “I make pies with my family all of the time; how did they screw up a cobbler recipe so bad?”  
A production member heard you and chuckled darkly. “I’ll send you the raw footage.”  
You turned back to Chris and took his hand. “We need to talk.” Chris gulped as you headed back to the cabana. It was silent outside, not even a cricket was chirping. You sat down and motioned for Chris to take a seat.  
“No, I need to stand and say this; if you’re going to let me go now, I want to get this off of my chest.” Chris said. “I like you. As in, wow who is this person and where has she been hiding, LIKE YOU.” You opened your mouth to say something, but he held a hand up. “Please just let me finish. I agreed to do this because I wanted time away from my ‘normal’ life if you can call it that because most days it’s anything but. My last relationship was on and off because we couldn’t communicate and be honest about what we really wanted, even though we loved each other. So, I came here thinking I could have fun and just take a breather. Then…YOU. You’re this breath of fresh air, and you’re honest, and you’re not doing this to meet a guy but to do something good. I just… god, how could anybody not like that?”  
You stood up and brought a finger to his lips, saying “Shhh…” Chris stilled, not sure what you were thinking, or what you were intending on doing. Your arms wrapped around his waist and you pulled him against you, snuggling up to his chest. You didn’t say a word, just smiled against his chest, hearing his heart thudding beneath your ear. His arms wrapped around you tight into a hug; you gasped and giggled at the feel of his beard at your cheek.  
You heard a throat clearing and pulled back reluctantly. Chris Harrison looked at both of you, amusement clear on his face. “Y/n, can I speak to you a moment?”   
You gave Evans a brief hug. “Thank you,” you whispered to him.  
“Ok Harrison let’s go.”  
**  
“Aer you sure?” Harrison wanted to know.  
“Yes,” you nodded for emphasis. “It may help address some of the things I’ve been hearing, and it may help weed out the real troublemakers, if there are any.”  
Harrison nodded, and you made your way back to the living room where all the guys were gathered. You looked around at all the faces with an encouraging smile. “Before I get started there’s something that’s been brought to my attention.”  
You could see some guys shifting uncomfortably. “I know I’ve said this before but for some of you I have to say it again. This is for charity; the winner does not have to be a hot single guy. Ok not a single guy,” you let yourself chuckle at your own joke. Some the guys laughed along with you.  
“This decision was hard for me, but I feel that it’s the right one. I hope everyone understands this is not about me, and not even about you guys, but about the charities you stand for. I’m confident that even just the mentions of these wonderful organizations on here will help garner more attention and donations.  
With that said, these are the gentlemen leaving tonight. Jeremy.”  
He bowed his head and nodded. “Mark.”  
“Don.”  
“Chadwick.” Chadwick gave you a rueful grin.  
“And Zach.” You could see a few mouths hanging open. Zach himself looked a bit in shock. “I’ll walk you all to the car when you’re ready.”  
All but Zach shook hands and exchanged friendly hugs to the rest of the group as they walked out. Zach appeared frozen to his spot, looking at you in confusion. “Y/n, can I talk to you first?” You nodded. Zach walked towards you and escorted you outside, past the patio, headed towards the backyard in silence.  
He finally turned to you clearly hurt. “Did I do something wrong here? Did someone say something to you?” You could see the hurt in his eyes and you felt your own eyes tear up.  
“No, it’s nothing that you said or did. It’s just… I have to be fair about this, and I had to start looking at who I had already let go and why.” Zach wanted to say something but let you continue. “I’ve let go good guys, representing good charities, because I had to. And so far, it’s only been the… not-single guys. How does that look fair? I HAD to look at everyone again and I realized that I couldn’t keep you or any other single guy around on the off chance that you could be interested in me and not just winning for your charity. I’m sorry,” you whispered.  
Zach pulled you into a hug. “I should be apologizing; I shouldn’t have made this such a big deal. But to be fair and honest myself, I was starting to really like you. You’re cute, you’re charming and funny, and you’ve got this amazing heart to put up with all of us nuts just for a charity.”  
You grinned ruefully. ”I’ve been hearing that a lot lately. Do you guys have a script?”  
He hugged you once more before letting go. “No script. But truthfully, if I get a chance to try this again, with you, I’m coming back.”  
He wrapped his arm around your shoulder as you both headed back to the front driveway. The rest of the guys were already in the car and waiting. Zach turned back to you once last time. “I mean it, I’ll be back.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Four weeks in and things are starting to boil over. Is this still just for charity or could there be more at stake?

You woke up the next day with a mild headache. Even though you knew you had made the right decision in letting Zach go, a part of you still felt bad, still felt hurt. Then you started thinking about the things Chris Evans had admitted to you, the offers Benedict and Robert had both given you, along with the closeness you had experience with Tom Hiddleston, and well… it was enough to make your head hurt. And swim. And if you were being totally honest with yourself, a little nauseous.  
You took the next few days to sort through the new information you had; you wondered if your feelings had more to do with the current environment, if they were genuine. You let yourself remember how it felt to relax into Tom’s frame; it brought a smile to your face. Then you let your mind wander to Chris’s confession and how it felt to hug him, how his beard felt on your cheek. You couldn’t lie to yourself; both of these men had an effect on you, but could you be fair to them and yourself in this process?  
Chris Harrison’s assistant reminded you of your next outing: roller derby with 10 of the guys and a special group of 5 guys. You internally groaned, knowing it was going to be another competitive day. But now, not knowing which guys were going, you were more worried about the guys who would be competing over you and your attention. You wandered down to the kitchen still a little bit lost in thought. “Excuse me,” you heard from behind you. You turned towards the voice and came face to face with Josh. You offered him a small smile as you moved out his way.  
“Are you ok?” he asked, reaching for a mug. “You seem a little… distracted.” Josh started up the Keurig and set the mug below.  
You shrugged. “Distracted might be a bad word; more like overthinking. I didn’t think I’d have to deal with this kind of drama.”  
Josh put his right arm around you and hugged you across the shoulders as he waited for his coffee. “I heard. I’m sorry those guys even thought they should try and sneak around like that.”  
You sighed. “I didn’t even know they were trying to be SNEAKY about it. Robert was the one to tell me they were trying to win me to win this.” You turned to face Josh who was taking his first sip of coffee. “So you knew about it too?”  
Josh blushed and cleared his throat. “Yes, I found out about it, and I wish I had the sense to tell you before Robert.” He eyed you. “How much do you want to know about this?”  
“All of it, I guess.” You shrugged to seem nonchalant about the whole thing while your head and your heart decided to go to war.  
Josh walked out to the patio and sat down in a chair, motioning for you to take the chair across from him. “Here’s what I do know.” He started to explain as you took a seat. “I know that you are a genuinely nice, sweet person. Some of the single guys got the idea if they bided their time, they could get you. I don’t know how much of it had to do with winning this for their charity though.” He reached across and touched your hand. “You shouldn’t be talking to me about this though. You should be talking to them.”  
You frowned and let yourself sink into your seat. “So I should just confront all of the single guys. You really think that’s a good idea?”  
“Not all of the single guys. And you already let one of them go.” Your eyes widened a bit at that revelation. “But if you want names: Hiddleston, Evans, and Sebastian are the ones left. Zach had been included as well.”  
You looked down into your mug of cappuccino and felt your eyes water a bit. You agreed to this craziness for the sake of charity. Now people were being sneaky, creating drama, and suddenly affecting your feelings. A tear escaped and before long you were silently crying. Josh tugged on your hand; you looked up at him with a frown.  
“I’m going to take your advice and talk to them,” you whispered. “I shouldn’t burden you with this.” You stood up on shaky legs. Josh grabbed your mug away and set it on the table, then grabbed you by the shoulders to steady you.  
“Y/n, are you sure you’re ok?” Josh asked. “Have you been eating well and taking care of yourself?”  
You hugged Josh tight. “Yes I have been. You are my guardian angel, aren’t you? Thank you for being such a great guy to me.”  
He hugged you back. “Don’t mention it.” He gave you a smile and you had to grin back.   
“Ok, I’m better now.” You picked up your now cold mug and headed back inside. You saw the three guys Josh had mentioned. “Evans, Hiddleston, Seb? Can I talk to you guys privately please?” A small chorus of groans could be heard and at least one person you couldn’t place by voice alone commented about heading to the ‘principal’s office.’  
You led the three guys down to the same cabana where you had your one-on-one time with Tom Hiddleston. The memory made your eyes water; you fought back the tears to remain as calm as you could manage. “Please take a seat guys,” you asked politely. They didn’t argue as they sat down. Tom was frowning, probably noticing the red of your eyes. Sebastian appeared confused, while Evans sat with his arms crossed over his chest.  
“We need to talk about this whole being single, biding your time, thing that’s been going on,” you started. “I’ve already had two people tell me they have feelings for me, and at least three other people warning me about what’s been going on.” Tom opened his mouth, but you held up a finger. He stopped to let you continue. “I just need to know why you guys thought you had to band together on this, or be sneaky about it? I agreed to do this ONLY because of the charities. Now I’m confused, I’m frustrated, and I’m getting angry that this is moving outside the scope of what I agreed to.”  
Chris took your pause as a chance to speak. “I thought I was very clear on this.”  
You looked at Chris; you didn’t know how to read his body language; it was all over the place. His arms were still crossed, but his legs were spread open wide and his beautiful blue eyes were blinking rapidly. “You were clear at the time Chris, but now I don’t know how much I trust what you told me.”  
Sebastian looked down at the ground, a blush coloring his face. “Damn it,” you heard him whisper.  
“Sebastian, I’m not trying to make you feel bad about this; I’m just trying to understand why you guys,” you looked between the three of them, “ALL of you would do this. I’m seriously questioning my trust in you guys now and I never wanted to do that.”  
Tom’s eyes widened and his hands started fidgeting. He closed his eyes and then opened them to look at you. “May I talk to you, not in front of them, for just a moment?” You nodded and you both headed towards the pool.  
Tom kept his voice low. “I know I shouldn’t have been roped into any plan,” he started as the pool grew closer. “I don’t even know who started it or… I was going to say why, but I know why.”  
You took a seat on the closest chaise before looking up at him. His grey boots were starting to look worn and the jeans seemed to hang loose on his lanky frame. The white buttoned shirt was rolled up to his elbows; his beard seemed trimmed down since the first day, but his curls still hung long against his hair tousled by the slight breeze. “Why, Tom?”  
He took the seat you created next to you and took your hand. You let him lace his fingers between yours; your hands were so tiny compared to his as you watched him fidget for a moment. Tom turned to look at you, resting his other hand on your knee. “I tend to speak before I think. When I saw you that first night, and told you that you looked brilliant, I meant it. Your smile was beaming, that dress was…” he chuckled to himself, “perfection on you. If I could have whisked you away right then and there, I would have. As it is with my luck, I told Chris Hemsworth those same sentiments and a few people heard me. Most of them were married, but agreed you were not what they were expecting.”  
He took a deep breath, looked down at your hands still intertwined, then looked back up again. “I’m sure you know enough about me, from the interviews and other media sources. I’m not going to lie to you and tell you things I think you want to hear from me.” You kept his gaze, letting your tongue slip out briefly to wet your drying lips. “Y/n, I do care about you. I’m not sure how much or what that means to you, but if I didn’t tell you I’d be the barmiest bloke here.”  
You smiled and chuckled at the superlative. You took your other hand and placed it over his, pulling him a bit closer to you. “Tom, thank you for saying that. I know that I’m attracted to you; these curls,” you lifted your hand from his to run your fingers through his hair. It was as soft as you imagined, and you heard him moan quietly at your touch. “I can’t make any promises though. That’s the biggest thing: having this attraction to you, to others, and not being able to provide anyone reassurances. Please tell me you understand?”  
His other hand came off your knee to cup your cheek. “Darling, of course I understand. In the spirit of being honest, I think I’ve always been a person that needs some reassurance. I can deal with this though, with all of it, if it means there could be more later?”  
You couldn’t outright say anything. You leaned your head in until your head was resting under his chin. He hugged you tight; you couldn’t make out his whispered words, but you felt… safe.  
“Can I interrupt?” a husky voice asked. You pulled away from Tom to see Sebastian watching the two of you. You gave Tom a squeeze of his hand, still linked with yours, before pulling it out of his grasp.  
“Sure Sebastian,” you stood up. “Tom, could you excuse us please?” Tom rose from his seat and gave Sebastian a polite nod as he headed back to the cabana. “I’m yours for the moment Sebastian; what’s up?”  
Sebastian dropped in the seat vacated by Tom then put his head into his hands. “I didn’t think this would get so screwed up so fast.”  
You put your right hand on his left shoulder. “It’s not THAT screwed up; but it is frustrating for me. Think of this the way you guys would deal with intruding… scratch that. Think of this the way you get comments on social media whenever you post something. I feel like I’m getting hit on all sides right now.” Your hand started caressing his shoulder absentmindedly. “Did you want to confess your feelings for me as well?” He lifted his head and saw the small smirk playing on your lips.  
“Honestly doll, I want to do a lot more than just confess some feelings.” His beautiful eyes twinkled and you giggled at his flirting. “Seriously, you’ve got a wonderful set of lips there I’m dying…”  
“Ok, big guy, enough teasing,” you heard another voice interrupt. You glanced up and saw Chris hovering over the two of you. “Y/n, Chris Harrison is looking for you.”  
“Not hard enough,” you muttered under your breath. Then you saw Harrison coming from inside the house headed in your direction. “Hey Harrison! What’s up?”  
“I just got word that the other group of guys aren’t able to make today’s outing,” Harrison told you. “Do you still want to go ahead with the rest of them?” You nodded and Harrison excused himself. You stood up and brushed imaginary wrinkles out of your pajamas. How on earth did these guys keep a straight face while you were still bundled in your ‘Never Drinking Again’ pjs, you wondered.  
You excused yourself as well to change for this outing. While you tried to sort through your wardrobe, snippets of your recent conversations floated through your head. Your heart was a bit torn and your brain was driving you crazy with what ifs. Exasperated with yourself and the guys, you sat down in your nude lace bra and panty set and made a list:

Single: Hiddleston, Holland, Dominic, Evans, and Sebastian  
Married: Josh, Benedict, Mackie, Robert, Vin, Paul B, Paul R, Clark, Frank, and Michael  
?: Pratt and Idris

You stared at your list. It was obvious what you needed to do, and yet part of you felt torn as well. You heard a production assistant hollering for you; you quickly threw on a blue striped jumpsuit and headed to hair and makeup.  
An hour later, you and all of the guys gathered in the living room, waiting on Harrison to show up and announce who was going on this outing. Dominic perched himself on the armrest of your chair. “You look adorable today y/n.” He smiled at you and grabbed your hand. You gave him a smile back.  
“Hey, while we’re waiting on Harrison, would you mind joining me on the patio for a second?” He nodded and followed you outside.  
Once outside Dominic took a seat and quickly pulled you into his lap. You giggled as you settled into him. “This is NOT why I asked you out here,” you teased.  
He took one of your hands and kissed it. “I know, but I haven’t had any time with you, so I’m going to take advantage. What’s up buttercup?”  
“You didn’t end up a part of the sneaky single group; I’m curious to know how you managed?” you wondered aloud. You noticed Dominic’s smile fade just a bit at the question. He cleared his throat and adjusted his legs under you. “I can get up…”  
“Nope!” he pulled you to his chest in a hug. His adorable smile returned. “I was… intrigued when I met you that first night. Obviously you’re beautiful; anyone with eyes can see that.” You blushed gracefully. “Come on, y/n, you’ve heard it all already from these other guys. I just… didn’t like the idea of… it put me off that they thought if they coasted, they could get something from you.” He shook his head. “I’m not saying this right. Bottom line, I didn’t want to come off like some asshole douchebag. I wanted to get to know you, and wanted you to get to know me, maybe take an interest?” He gave you a lopsided grin, which gave you butterflies.  
You looked away for just a moment and saw Harrison walking in. You slid off Dominic’s lap, taking his hand to walk inside. Evans noticed the handhold and couldn’t hide his immediate displeasure.  
“Y/n! There you are!” Harrison greeted you. “Alright gang, here’s the group headed out today. Tom Hiddleston, Tom Holland, Dominic, Chris Pratt, Benedict, Sebastian, Anthony, Paul Bettany, Paul Rudd, and Idris. Hope you all have fun!”  
The ride to the skating rink was uneventful; everyone kept to simple small talk. As you walked into the rink, you saw the setup for the roller derby and frowned. “I thought…”  
“Surprise!” Michael Rooker popped out behind the skate counter, along with Hugh Jackman, Jon Favreau, Corey Stoll, and Bobby Cannavale.  
“I thought Harrison said you guys couldn’t make it?” you said.  
“We managed to get our asses here,” Jon answered. “SO which ones did you bring to the slaughter?” You chuckled and pointed behind you. “Y/n, did you not tell them what they were doing today?”  
“I honestly thought it was going to be a relaxing day, free of all drama,” you rolled your eyes at Jon. “I was wrong.”  
Dominic sidled up next to you and threw an arm around your shoulders. “So what’s the deal?” You smiled at him and turned to the other nine wondering the same thing.  
“It’s a roller derby showdown,” you explained. “But I was under the impression it wasn’t happening, so I guess teams are…”  
Harrison popped up behind the counter wearing his referee costume. “Already picked!” He grinned at you. “Team Wildfire consists of Tom Holland, Idris, Sebastian, Pratt, and Paul Rudd. Team Scorched Earth are the remaining guys: Hiddleston, Bettany, Dominic, Benedict, and Mackie. Our guests will be their own team, Team Craziness!”   
You shook your head and groaned. “This is going to be craziness, so I think the names worked out well. Ok Harrison, explain the rules because I’m not familiar with this AT ALL!”  
“Ok y/n, it’s pretty easy. Each team picks one guy to be the ‘jammer,’ the guy that’s going to try to lap as may opposing skaters as they can. The elected jammer scores points when they complete their first lap then can successfully lap their opponents. It gets somewhat complicated for a real derby, so here we’re going to keep it simple. One point is scored when the jammer laps the entire group – first team to get eight points wins.”  
You watched each team huddle up to pick their jammers: Holland, Mackie, and Michael Rooker. All three teams laced up their skates and went out to the floor. When everyone was in place, Harrison stood on the far outside ring. “On your mark… get set… GO!”  
You spent the first 20 minutes peeking through your fingers as your hands covered your eyes. The guys weren’t being nasty, but they were definitely pushing and shoving each other to make sure the jammers didn’t outlaw the other teams. Harrison blew his whistle and decided that in the interest of the show’s insurance and keeping everyone’s face intact, he was changing the setup. Harrison directed Tom Holland, Anthony, and Michael to a line on the rink’s floor. “Rules are simple: first guy that puts in 5 laps is the winner. No physical contact, just good old-fashioned speed! On your mark… get set… GO!”  
Each team hollered from the sidelines encouraging their team member or good naturedly harassing the other two. After a tense 10 minutes, Holland crossed the finish line on his fifth lap in triumph. The other teams groaned as Team Wildfire celebrated.  
“Ok guys!” You yelled to get their attention. “We’re going to head back home first so all of you can get cleaned up for your celebratory dinner! The rest of you, you put up a good fight!”  
Michael and the rest of his teammates bid their farewells to everyone. Michael managed to get in a last word to you before they left. “You’ve got some good guys here; don’t break anyone’s heart!” You gave him a grin and small hug.  
The ride home was subdued; everyone was a bit exhausted from the skating. Benedict had managed to grab the seat next to you and took the opportunity to talk to you more about his charity The Prince’s Trust. The car pulled up in the driveway and everyone piled out. You lingered back to let Benedict finish his story. Once the rest of the guys were out of earshot, and you both had exited the car, he turned to you. “I heard that Tom told you how he feels about you. This is my first chance to ask you: how do you feel?”  
You shook your head and smiled as you dropped your glance down for a moment. You looked Benedict straight in the eye next. “I like him. I’ve always had a crush on the guy; he seems so nice. In person? He’s…” you chuckled. “He’s almost perfection.” You noticed the look on Benedict’s face. “He doesn’t have to be perfect, but he checks off every box I have, and a few I never thought of.”  
“And the rest of the guys?” Benedict prompted.  
You took a seat on the bench just outside of the front door. “I don’t know. Evans told me how he feels about me as well; I have to admit I’m attracted to him. Sebastian didn’t admit anything about his feelings but was very clear on wanting to kiss me.” You giggled quietly at the memory. “Zach told me how he felt before he left. Even Dominic has expressed his interest, although like Sebastian, not exactly about his feelings. I’m torn.”  
Harrison approached the two of you. “Y/n, Benedict. How are both of you?” You both answered vaguely. “Good, y/n, may I talk to you for a second?”  
“I know what you’re going to ask,” you grimaced a bit, knowing that list you made earlier was actually going to help you for once.  
“Actually,” Harrison hedged, “it’s about something else.”  
You gave Harrison a confused look. “Sure. Benedict, thank you so much for tonight!” You gave him a kiss on the cheek and excused yourself.  
“Ok Harrison, what’s up?”  
“You have a decision already made, I can tell,” Harrison started. “How would you feel if someone decided to come back?”  
The question startled you. “Seriously?”  
“Yes, very seriously. I know it’s a bit out of our current format but instead of dinner, we want to do cuts now, so we can get setup for the next round.”   
You watched Harrison closely. He seemed to be sincere. “I can do that. Do I get any clue as to who this person is?”  
“Nope! You’ll find out in a few days. Let’s get going then,” he gently took your arm and led you to the front door.  
Most of the guys were hanging in the living room and kitchen; tonight’s winners weren’t visible. “Hey Hiddleston,” you called. “Can you ask the guys upstairs to come down for just a moment?” He nodded in the direction of the stairs as the missing five appeared. You sighed and laughed.  
“Ok guys, may I have everyone’s attention?” The group turned to you and the chatter stopped. “It’s already out of our normal routine, especially for our winners tonight.” A small smattering of whoops and hollers sounded. “But in lieu of dinner, we are doing our round of cuts now.”  
Murmuring moved through the crowd. “I know the last few days have been a little crazy. And before anyone can make any assumptions, I’m going to admit it: there are some guys here I’m starting to have feelings for. I’m already giving myself crap for it, knowing what I’ve been saying since day one, so trust me that I’m really struggling with this.”   
You glanced around the room. No one seemed surprised to hear your confession but you still couldn’t help feeling guilty as hell. “There’s no easy way to do this and it’s going to get harder for me, so I’m just going to blurt names out. I’ve already given this thought, so please don’t assume I’m pulling this out my ass.” You heard some chuckles. “Ok, Vin, Robert, Frank, and Clark. I’m sorry guys.”  
Robert ran right up to you and gave you a huge hug. You felt a hand at your hip and you looked at him quizzically before looking down. A slip of paper was just peeking out of your pocket. “Just in case you need a friend in the remaining weeks,” he whispered.   
You kissed him on the cheek and hugged him back. “You’re a rock star, but you already knew that.”  
The remaining guys also gave you a quick goodbye leaving you with just thirteen guys left. You gave them all a big smile before dropping the latest news. “So who’s ready to welcome someone back?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Guess who's back??

The small group sounded more like crowded Hall H. at SD ComiCon ready to host a Marvel panel. Sebastian was the first one to fix his gaze on you and ask, “Who’s coming back?”  
“I honestly don’t know,” was your response. “Harrison told me, I asked the same question, and was told I’d find out in a few days. So your guess is as good as…” Your mind started thinking back. “Oh.”  
Chris Evans heard you. “Oh what y/n?”  
You grimaced slightly. “So… I may have an idea of who it might be? But I don’t want to say it in case I’m wrong.” You looked at all of them still feeling guilty. “I had no idea that anyone would actually be let back.” You noticed a number of fallen faces. “Really guys. This will work out, I promise. I just don’t know how?” You put a slight shrug in your shoulders before excusing yourself.  
Evans, Sebastian, and Hiddleston gathered on the sofa to gossip about who might be the interloper. Dominic and Josh took the loveseat close to them and leaned in. Josh spoke first. “Guys…”  
Tom turned in Josh’s direction. “Josh, I know that you’re looking out for y/n. In this instance we’re merely gossiping about who’s coming back. I promise no more plotting on my end.” Tom managed a small smile at him.  
Dominic decided to speak up as well. “Look whoever is coming back shouldn’t change why we’re all here. Some of us have awesome charities we’re playing for; isn’t that what should matter first?” He stared at all of the guys on the couch.  
“Is that the reason you were cuddling up to her this afternoon?” Evans asked Dominic rather pointedly. “For your charity?”  
Dominic blushed. “I’m not stupid enough to admit that. She’s beautiful, generous, smart, and clearly honest and loyal. Couldn’t you tell it was killing her to admit that now she has feelings for some of us?” Dominic gave Evans a hard look. “Did it look like she was enjoying having to admit that this whole setup for charity was turning into something she SAID she didn’t want?”  
Evans sat back into the couch. Oblivious to the tension Chris Pratt plopped down on one couch arm. “So are we getting drunk tonight? There’s a whole stash of beer in the basement of this place.”  
**  
While the guys had been having their own conversation you had cornered Harrison and begged for a cell phone to call your real moral support, your best friend back home.  
You settled into the overstuffed chair, wrapped up in your blue fuzzy robe, legs thrown over one of the chair arms. “These guys are…”  
“Come one, y/n, you can finish that sentence,” your best friend teased. “Besides most people, men AND women, would kill to be in your shoes.”  
You groaned loudly. “You’re missing my point! This group of guys is good looking, yes. Charming, mostly. Opinionated and stubborn, oh my god yes! But they each represent a charity, not the love of my life.”  
“Maybe that’s where you need to change your mind?” she offered. “Why can’t someone be both?”  
“For the obvious reason, not all of these guys are single. Half of these guys are married, so I should just toss them and their charities aside? Does that sound fair?” You closed your eyes and shook your head. “I’m giving myself a headache again. Thanks for letting me vent. I’m going to let you go, ok?”  
“Ok.” Your best friend still wanted to get in the last word. “Just… follow your heart. For real. Do what’s in your heart.” The call ended.  
**  
Two days later, as you were out sunning yourself by the pool again, you heard the crunch of tires in the driveway. You glanced around and saw Harrison headed in your direction. You slipped on your coverup and stood up from the chaise. “Hey Harrison! I heard the car, so I’m guessing the guy is back?”  
Harrison smiled at you. “Yep! Want me to greet him or are you going to?”  
You pretended to think about it. “I’ll do it. You work too hard anyway.” Harrison laughed as you excused yourself. The walk to the driveway seemed longer than normal; when you stepped out onto the driveway, you saw the car door swing open. Out stepped Zach, with a big grin on his face.  
“Hey there gorgeous,” he greeted you. You grinned and gave him a huge hug.  
“So you wanted to come back to all of this drama?” you asked. “I heard about the previous pact of the single guys.”  
Zach blushed as he wrapped his left arm around your shoulders. “Yes, I went home for… what a week? Then I called up Harrison, production, anyone I could, because I really missed you. These guys…” he gestured towards the house, “are great guys but… I wanted another chance with you.”  
You both stepped into the house and saw the guys milling about the living room. “Did you enjoy the show from the window?” you asked them. No one looked your way; you smirked and shook your head. “Guys look who’s back?”  
Everyone turned and greeted Zach politely. You noticed the smile on Evans didn’t reach his eyes. Zach dropped his arm from you and took his things to his room. You rolled your eyes and headed back to the pool to relax.  
Chris Evans and Sebastian cornered Zach as he came back into the living room. “Just so you know, the deal is off,” Evans told him.  
Zach smirked. “Yeah y/n already told me I was found out. I’m not really complaining though. It’s going to make winning this thing so much better.”  
Sebastian frowned. “What? Are you really trying to win this charity thing INSTEAD of her?”  
Zach gave him a wilting smile. “Dude, she put herself in the position to be used. I’m not saying she’s unattractive or anything like that, I’m just saying… I play to win. If winning her means winning for my charity, then…” You could hear a pin drop in the room; all of the guys made themselves keenly aware of what Zach was saying. At least two of those guys were considering how to use that information against Zach.  
Sebastian was appalled. “Seriously? I don’t know how to respond to that except to say, you’re nuts. I’d take a woman like that any day over winning for my charity.” Tom Hiddleston nodded in agreement with Sebastian.  
Zach parted one last shot before heading out to the pool. “May the best man win!”  
**  
“Hey darlin’!” The drawl made you smirk as you glanced up at Zach.   
“Hey there yourself! Grab a seat and come talk to me,” you gestured to the several empty chairs around you. Zach took the one to your immediate right and laid back. “So anything new with you?”  
“Nope, just went to some auditions and hung out with a couple of friends. Told them about you too,” he grinned.  
You groaned. “You stuck to the nice stuff I hope?”  
He turned his head to look at you. “It was only good stuff! I don’t know you well enough to know the bad yet, do I?” You chuckled at him.  
Tom Holland, Idris, and Michael came out to the pool at that moment. You faced them with a smile. “Guys, have you been here long enough to know the bad stuff about me?’  
Tom gave you a grin. “You mean the indecisiveness? Nah.”  
Michael giggled at Tom. “I was thinking of the crying.”  
Idris looked between Tom and Michael. “What are you guys talking about?” He then turned to smirk at you. You howled with laughter.  
Anthony and Benedict also came out. “Are you guys having a party without us?” Anthony asked.  
“Yup, a pool party,” you quipped.  
Benedict gave you an amused look. “Really?”  
“Actually really! I wanted something low key and fun, so we have a couple of activities planned right here for all of you! I might even pit a team against another,” you teased.  
Harrison chose that moment to show up and ask if everyone, but you, could excuse themselves while they set up the pool. The guys bid you a short farewell. You hung back as Harrison directed production where to put the inflatable climbing wall and inflatable bull ride.  
Thirty minutes later the guys were asked to come back out. Steaks, burgers, and corn on the cob were grilling, and drinks had been poured. Everyone’s attention was originally on the climbing wall, until Idris pointed out the bull. “Why is there a cow in the water?”  
You chuckled at Idris’s comment. “I’m going to try it out first! Please do not laugh too hard at this horrible first attempt ever.” You climbed onto the bull and took a deep breath as Tom Hiddleston, Evans, Idris, Zach and Josh each grabbed a handle on the outside ring and began pulling. You whooped and hollered as they tried to knock you off; amazingly you were able to stay upright on the bull. You weren’t sure if they had been taking it easy on you or not, but after a solid 5 minutes you finally fell off the bull, amid cheers and applause. “Thank you!” you sputtered as you emerged from the water.  
“Ok guys, I’ll let you choose: bull riding or climbing wall. I’ll warn you though, you will be working in teams so choose wisely!”  
The fourteen guys conferred briefly. Finally, Chris Pratt announced their decision. “We’re going with the climbing wall!”  
“All right! Here are the teams: Paul Bettany, Paul Rudd, Benedict, Anthony, Idris, Josh, and Michael! Then Tom and Tom, Dominic, Zach, Evans, Pratt, and Sebastian.” You gave the groups a once over. “Harrison, does this look right to you?”  
Harrison did a quick head count & laughed. “Yup, single guys versus committed guys? Looks right to me!”  
Both teams stared at you for a beat before busting into laughter. You directed each team to put themselves in racing order. “Ok guys, simple objective as always! First team to get all of their guys up AND down the wall wins! Harrison, you have that timer?” A big digital clock appeared. “All right, on your marks… get set… GO!”  
The first two up the wall were Anthony and Dominic; both moved quickly up the wall, but coming down proved a challenge for both. Dominic managed to get down first, by only a foot, before he tagged his next teammate Zach.  
Anthony was close behind coming down and nearly tackled Paul Rudd. Paul pulled ahead, getting up well before Zach, but Zach gained momentum on his climb down so it was still pretty close as both tagged their teammates at the same time. Michael and Tom Hiddleston were next; Michael seemed to struggle getting up as Hiddleston outpaced him and was on his way down as Michael finally scrambled to the top.  
Hiddleston tagged Pratt who also seemed to have trouble getting up the wall. Michael climbed down beside him muttering “I HAVE to get into better shape.” Michael tagged Paul Bettany who paced Pratt and both guys came down at the same time, tying the race up again!  
Benedict and Sebastian took off; Sebastian’s toned arms proved a huge asset, getting himself up and down in record time. Sebastian dashed to tag Evans just as Benedict finished his decent. Evans raced up the wall as quickly as he could, Idris close at his heels. Both guys made it down at the same time and tagged the last two, Tom Holland and Josh.  
It seemed like an even match up; Josh and Tom were neck and neck on the way up. On the descent, Josh lost his footing, which Tom took advantage of and sped down the remainder of the wall, much to the delight of his teammates. Josh was only 5 seconds behind, but the ‘committed’ guys lost.  
“All this watching has worked up my appetite,” you joked. “Who else is hungry?” The whole group grabbed at the food. You sunk your teeth into a freshly grilled corn on the cob and moaned in pleasure. “Hats off to the grill masters! This corn, with the butter and garlic? YUMMY!” A few of the guys chuckled at your enthusiasm.   
Before you could take another bite, a shadow fell over you. Chris Pratt crouched down and settled into the back of the chaise behind you. “How are you feeling tonight?”  
You glanced around at the guys, then up to the sky that was just starting to turn a light orange as the sun started its descent. “I’m having fun,” you admitted to Pratt. “But I’m also nervous about the attraction I have for some of these guys. I thought I could be more unbiased.” You took a small bite of the corn again.  
“Y/n, you know the only person beating themselves up over this is you, right?” Pratt gave you a knowing look. “Not that I want to leave, this has been a riot. Working with these guys is one thing but hanging out like this, it’s awesome! But you could really make this about what you want, and not what you think you have to do, you know?” Pratt tore a chunk out of his burger and chewed thoughtfully. “Just a thought.”  
You marveled at Pratt’s insight. “You know what? You’re the first person to say it to me like that; it makes sense. I don’t know if that means making my decisions should be easier or harder though.” You set down the last of your corn and gave him a hug. “Thank you for that.”  
You glanced around the pool. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Sebastian and Anthony were in the middle of a lively debate and tried to draw in a sullen looking Evans. “Pratt, I’m going to see what Mackie & Seb are doing. You going to be ok?” He waved his ear of corn at you as he chewed on the bite he had just taken.  
You made your way over to the small group and perched on Evans lap. He looked startled for a moment before putting an arm around you gently. He kissed your cheek and you couldn’t help the grin and blush taking over your face. “What are you guys talking about over here?”  
Sebastian batted his lashes at you and grinned. “Sex. You wanna weigh in, doll?”  
You felt your blush deepen. “Maybe, depends on the question.”  
Anthony smirked at you. “Seb has an idea on what position is better for a woman to orgasm. I politely disagreed with him. Your thoughts?”  
You pretended to think hard. Evans shifted slightly underneath you; his thigh moved so slightly but gave you an idea. “Guys, I don’t think the position matters near as much as the foreplay leading up. For example, a good thigh could do wonders for a girl.” You smirked at Anthony and Seb, then got up from Evans’ lap and winked. All three jaws dropped a bit as you walked away.  
“Did she just…” Evans whispered.  
Seb whistled. “Chris, I’m sorry but Seb yes.”  
Anthony laughed at both guys. “Seb no.”  
You wandered over to another group of guys chatting away. “Hey boys, is this seat taken?” Tom Hiddleston smiled at you as Holland pulled out the chair for you.  
“Y/n, I love the bathing suit,” Holland complemented as you took a seat.   
“Thank you! So now that I’ve interrupted, what were you guys chatting about?”  
“Nothing exciting,” Benedict said. “Kids, family, friends… the usual small talk.”   
You smiled at him as you turned to the rest of the group. “Does that mean you guys are feeling a little homesick? Honestly I know I miss my own bed and my BFF!”  
Tom Hiddleston smiled at you again. “I’m with you on missing my own bed. And better tea.”  
Josh also chimed in. “I do miss my family, but this has been a lot of fun too! I didn’t get a chance to work with everyone just being in the first Thor movie.”  
Zach inched closer to you, laying his left arm above you on the chair, as he joked with Josh. “From one Fandral to another.”  
You sank back in your chair, watching the growing sunset colors as the guys talked around you. The voices blended low and lulled you into a catnap. “Y/n,” you heard whispered. You blinked and saw Dominic hovering over you with a grin on his face. “Mind if I steal you for a second before you pass out?”  
You stood up and stretched your arms. “Lead the way, sir.” You took his crooked arm and walked with him to the backyard. You thought about your first talk with Benedict as you sat on the same garden bench. “Something on your mind?”  
Dominic ran a hand through his hair as he sat down next to you. “Yes, but I don’t know how much you already know versus don’t know? I just think… you should probably… ok I suck with the talking and words things when it has to be my own.” He hung his head a bit.  
“Ok, no one’s dying right?”  
“Right.”  
“Ok, then it can’t be that bad. You can tell me just about anything.” You took his hand to emphasize the point and gave it a gentle squeeze.  
He sighed and blurted out. “Ok. Here’s the thing, without naming names, I sort of heard that someone is here literally just to win the money.”  
You watched the guilt cross his face briefly before giving his hand another squeeze. “I’m not surprised about that. $25,000.00 is a lot of money and I wouldn’t blame one person for wanting to win.”  
Dominic slowly looked up at you. “What if that same someone was trying to win by winning you?”  
You pondered that question before answering. “I agreed to do this for that reason, at least in theory. I guess it depends on the person. I mean, just because I might have feelings for someone doesn’t mean… let me try that again. Just because someone may have feelings for me, doesn’t mean that I would… ok this is going well.” You gave Dominic a small smile. “My best friend told me this morning to go with my heart. And Chris Pratt gave me some good advice earlier. I guess what I’m saying is that I’m coming around to the idea that maybe there’s a chance for both here and I’m not going to let my stubbornness get the better of me just because I told myself to stick with the charity angle day one.”  
Dominic reached his right hand up to stroke the back of your neck and his gaze dropped lower. “Is it too weird if I ask to kiss you?” You gave him a smirk and leaned in towards him. He met you halfway and brushed his lips against yours. It was nice, but you didn’t feel any heat or connection with it either. He pulled away and smiled shyly at you. “Let me get you back to the party.”  
You heard hollering as you both came back around to the pool. Anthony and Tom Holland were standing in front of Sebastian and Evans, all of whom were facing Idris and Chris Pratt holding back Zach. “I swear to god, dude…”  
“Holy shit! What is going on?” you yelled.  
Evans and Zach both turned their bodies towards you while Sebastian took a step back from his current position. All three of them were red-faced. Harrison came barreling through the yard. “I heard yelling.” Harrison looked around the crowd. “What happened?”  
“I just asked the same thing. Anyone want to start?” You could feel the tears forming.   
Everyone just stood in their spots, staring at the ground or up at the sky, anywhere but at you. You felt a tear escape; your annoyance at yourself and the damn tears for every emotion prickled. “Anyone? I honestly have no problem sending all of you home right now; I am THAT pissed off.”  
Benedict moved between you and the rest of the group. “Please come with me,” he whispered. You looked up and saw his pleading gaze; a hiccup escaped and you nodded, following him.  
The minute you were back inside Harrison addressed the rest of the group. “You can’t lie to me; did anyone actually physically assault someone?” Everyone shook their heads. “I’m very tempted to let y/n follow through with her threat. This doesn’t happen often, but you are clearly upsetting her. Can this be resolved?”  
Evans stared at Harrison and answered. “Only if he leaves,” pointing at Zach.  
Zach pinched the bridge of his nose and frowned. “I just got here. I’m not leaving unless she wants me to.”  
**  
Benedict stood guarding the guest bathroom door, as you sobbed inside. You weren’t stupid to not understand what they could   
have been fighting about, but you also knew that the tears weren’t over the guys, but because tears were your first emotional reaction to every emotion you had. You sniffed a few times and took deep breaths; the tears slowed. You blew your nose a few times and cleaned up your runny mascara. Your eyes were still red and your makeup could have used a touchup, but you didn’t care. You softly knocked on the door. Benedict stepped away and you came out.  
“I’m sorry about that,” you apologized to him. “Tears tend to be my go-to emotional response; you didn’t have to babysit me.”  
Benedict pulled you into a hug. “I understand. I also understand that the… guys… out there have assumed some particular claim over you or the money and are willing to fight for it.”  
You pulled back to give Benedict direct eye contact. You wanted to see his reaction to your first thought. “Tom wasn’t a part of it, I noticed.”  
Benedict smiled. “Because he’s British.”  
“What?”  
“Kidding. Seriously, Tom isn’t a physical fighter in that regards; he’s going to use his brain and his charm to win a fight. Zach was… in so many words… asserting his confidence; Evans took offense and Seb was backing him up. It was a yelling match, but if you hadn’t shown up at that moment, I don’t know what would have happened.”  
You slouched against the doorframe still behind you. “I feel torn. I know what I should do, but part of me feels guilty. Why do I feel guilty?”  
Benedict’s lips turned into a grim line. “Because the right thing doesn’t match up with how you feel? Or because someone that you’re thinking about has been taking advantage of your guilt and feelings?”  
“It’s interesting that you say that.” You straighten back up and twist your head slightly to work out the kinks. “It helps me make up my mind; I’m not sure how people may react but I’m realizing I don’t have to keep beating myself up either. Can you get everyone in here for me?”  
You both heard the patio door open and the shuffling of feet. “Scratch that,” you muttered. You moved into the living room, Benedict on your heels. “Thanks for coming inside; this won’t take long. I appreciate that everyone has made time for this, and for your charities, and for me.” You swept your gaze over the group, taking a breath. “It wasn’t until today that someone told me what I really needed to hear. I really am the person in control here. I realized that I have been doing my best to impress you guys and to make you happy, ignoring the fact that I wasn’t as happy as I should have been. It ends now.”  
You took another breath before speaking. “I have to let some people go tonight and I’ve had time to give this some real thought. For the first time I making these decisions based on more than just a charity at stake, there are people I care about and want to get to know better. With that said, Paul Bettany.” He smiled and nodded at you.  
“Dominic.” His smile didn’t reach his eyes as he looked at you.  
“Tom Holland.”   
“Mackie.” He looked startled and turned back quickly to whisper to Evans and Sebastian.  
“And… Zach.” The room went eerily silent.  
“Dominic, can I talk to you for a second please?” He said his other goodbyes quickly and walked with you. “I’m sorry about earlier.”  
“Don’t,” he stopped you. His smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I know there wasn’t the chemistry either one of us was hoping for. I know there could be a better guy in there for you. Can I say that I’m glad you let Zach go again though?”  
You chuckled at his admission. “I feel I’m going to hear different opinions on that before the evening’s done. Thank you so much for doing this.” You reached up and brushed a kiss on his cheek. Dominic walked out to the waiting car, opened the car door, and left.  
You went back inside; it was still quiet, too quiet. The guys appeared to have gone back to their rooms, save the guys that were leaving. Tom Holland and Paul stood up from their seats to hug you briefly before they left.  
‘Y/n, may I talk to you?” Zach asked.   
“Sure, let’s walk.”  
You took the same slow steps as you had with Dominic. “I’m not sure I know what to say,” you started.  
“Don’t,” Zach interrupted. “I just don’t understand why you’re letting me go again. Don’t you have feelings for me?” He looked down at you, a puppy dog expression on his face.  
You sighed. “I don’t. I mean, you seem like a great guy: nice looking, funny, sassy, smart. I just don’t… feel anything with you. I’m sorry be blunt but I’d rather be honest with you than lie.” Zach looked annoyed but gave you a hug before he climbed into his car and left.  
Anthony met you outside as Zach’s car drove off. “You know you did the right thing, right?”  
You turned to him with a smile on your face. “I did the right thing for me; I know Zach may be a bit upset but in the long run I know there’s a guy in there that looks out for me, and I may care about as well.” You gave Anthony a big hug. “Thank you for being a great guy and friend.”  
“No problem! But if anyone else in there gives you a hard time…” he teased you.  
“You’ll be like… the third person I call? Do you know how many times I’ve heard that?” You laughed.  
Anthony gave you one last smile. “Don’t break their hearts; they won’t break yours.”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the drama behind you, is there love in the air?

It was hard to believe you had been hanging out with some of Marvel’s favorite actors for over a month now. You had stopped seeing some of them as Hollywood actors and more as real friends. You and Josh, more than any of the other guys, really had forged a friendly bond that you hoped would continue outside of this process. However, you were starting to wonder about your potential interest in the single guys.  
Today’s plan was to hang out at a local amusement park; you would still enjoy everyone’s company and get to know the single guys better. You were equally hoping some of the married guys would be able to pass along some advice on their friends.  
You threw on your jean shorts, your favorite purple top and your comfy silver sandals before joining the guys downstairs. “Who’s ready to ride some rides and get sick on funnel cakes and fries?” All of you piled into the limo van waiting outside. The drive to the park was a quiet one; you hadn’t slept well the night before, dreams of making a wrong decision in the end were still haunting you a bit.   
The limo pulled up to the park entrance and the group of you piled out. Most of the guys had on either sunglasses, hats, or a combination of both so no one paid any attention as you entered. You took a deep breath and relished in the smells of popcorn, boardwalk fries, and salty air, bringing back your own childhood memories. You stood at the park map, deciding what to tackle first.  
“Can we just make our way around the park?” Josh suggested. “We can stop anywhere we want and will still get through the whole place.”  
You were still mulling over the map as Benedict offered a different idea. “I want to hit up all the roller coasters while it’s still early; gives us all a chance to ride before the crowds get here.”  
Tom came up and put his hands on your shoulders, standing behind you. “What do you want to do darling?”  
You scrunched your face up, trying to make a decision. You pulled out the sparkly silver hat out of your back pocket, thankful you grabbed it before you headed out the door, along with the sunscreen stashed in your small bag. After another moment of thinking, “I’m leaning towards the coaster option. Get them out of the way before we stuff ourselves, and avoid bigger crowds.” You took one of the map pamphlets and placed it in your back pocket as you made your way to the first wooden roller coaster in view. There was no line so everyone boarded. You mentally cheered you were an even numbered group so no one would have to ride alone; it also gave you a chance to swap partners each ride. Tom grabbed the seat next to you and helped buckle you up. He gave a tug on the seatbelt. “I never thought of you being strapped down,” he teasingly whispered.  
You blushed. “Should I admit now or later that it’s at least crossed my mind before?” Tom’s eyes darkened slightly as the ride operator went over the standard ‘keep your hands and feet inside the car’ spiel just as the coaster started forward. The first large hill quickly out shadowed your last comment. As it agonizingly inched up, you grabbed Tom’s hand and gave it a squeeze. His eyes were closed and his nose scrunched up in anticipation of the first drop. It was a short but bumpy ride; each hill descent catapulted you up off the seat, belts be damned. As the coaster pulled back into the station all of the guys cheered. You looked over at Tom who looked a little dazed. “Are you ok Tom?” You reached out and smoothed down some of the curls sticking up in the back.  
Tom grinned at you before slowly getting out of his seat. His legs wobbled for a second and you grabbed his waist to steady him and yourself just a bit. He grinned and kissed the top of your head. “I haven’t been on a coaster in forever. I may need to pace myself on the rest.”  
You joined the remaining guys who had already gotten off and waiting impatiently to get on the next one. “Guys, this place is awesome!” Paul Rudd exclaimed. “My kids would love this; I’m going to have to remember to come back here!”  
You chuckled at Paul’s enthusiasm. “Ok, dude, you’re my next riding buddy then!” You headed towards the next coaster, a metal monstrosity. Tom begged off this one so Benedict stayed behind. As the rest of you boarded the coaster, Benedict and Tom chatted.  
“Is it possible to fall for someone you barely know?”  
Benedict chuckled. “You’ve spent the last month with all of us, including her, and you think you don’t know her? Enlighten me.”  
Tom shook his head slightly. “I’ve been on all of these outings, but I don’t get many chances to actually talk to her. To be fair, none of us have had any significant time, and I understand that when she has to delegate her attention. But this is different compared to having a month of just her and me in a dating setting.”  
“Shouldn’t you be fighting for her though,” Benedict stood against a railing close to the exit of the coaster. You and the other guys were just coming down the walkway. Your face lit up when you saw Tom and Benedict.  
“You guys should have ridden! It was a lot smoother than the first one.” You hooked one arm into Tom and the other into Benedict. “To be honest, I don’t know if I can ride with Paul again.”  
Paul turned around and smirked at you. “You just can’t handle a coaster, y/n! Hands up, breeze in your hair… oops!” He bumped into park’s mascot. “Sorry!”  
Three more coasters later, the lot of you were getting tired and hungry. “I don’t know about you guys, but I would kill for a slice,” you scanned the open food court and found a pizza by the slice stand. “Anyone else want one?”  
Tom grabbed your hand. “I’ll join you,” and scurried you off into the growing line. He stood behind you and let you lean back against his chest. “This is getting to be a habit of yours, you know?”  
You smiled up at him. “When you’re this comfy, it’s an easy habit to get into.” He settle his hands onto your waist as you slowly moved up the line. “Feeling better now? The first coaster seemed to set a precedence.”  
He kissed the top of your head; you moved up a bit again as he spoke. “Yes, although I think in my old age, coasters and I no longer agree with each other.”  
You grumbled. “Old age? You’re not that old; I’M older than you.”  
“No way! Now this I refuse to believe! You barely look my age, maybe even younger.”  
You giggled. “Make you a deal; after we finish eating, we do that guess your height/weight/age game. If the person guesses my age wrong…”  
“I owe you a real date,” Tom finished for you. You stepped up to the counter and ordered a slice of pepperoni for yourself and Tom ordered a slice of deluxe; Tom paid before you could even get to your wallet.  
“Thank you,” you gave him a hug around the waist as you folded the pizza in your other hand. “Getting back to our bet here…”  
“What are you guys betting on?” Evans asked.   
“My age! Tom made a crack about being old, so… we’re going to the guessing game after this,” you explained to the group. “But this is strictly our bet. Evans, you’re going to have to come up with your own.” You gave him a big grin.  
You finished your slice and waited for Tom to finish his; Sebastian stood next to you. “Y/n, what’s a guy gotta do to get some time alone with you?” You watched as his eyes sparkled and he bit his lower lip. You grinned and blushed.  
“First, you have to ask.” You winked at him. “Then, you have to wait until after she’s had some time with this guy,” grabbing Tom by the arm as he tossed his napkin in the trash pulling him towards the arcade close by.  
You found the guessing game rather quickly; there wasn’t a long line so you waited patiently until it was your turn. The game operator gave you an appraising glance. “What’ll it be doll? Age, weight, or height?”  
Your grin grew as you told him. “Age. Hit me with your best shot.”  
The operator looked between you and Tom for a second. “Ok so I can only get within 2 years of your actual age. This your boyfriend? He gonna know if I’m right or not?”  
“I promise to show you my license; to answer your nosy question no he’s not my boyfriend,” although mentally you had tacked on ‘yet’ to the end of that.  
The operator made you stand in one spot, then walked around you, then made you do a little twirl. He looked at Tom again, then back at you. “I’ll hazard a guess but I can already feel that smack that’s comin’. Ok doll, I’m guessin’ you’re... 32.”  
Your grin was as broad as the Cheshire cat. “Aww, I’m so sorry to disappoint you.” You pulled out your license and showed him. The guy literally fell on his ass, dumbfounded. “How? What? How?”  
Tom grabbed your license out of your hands; he looked at it, then you, then back and forth a couple of more times. Tom assisted the game operator in getting up, giving him a small pat on the back. “She doesn’t play fair, does she mate?” Tom handed your license back to you. “I want to know your secrets, all of them.” You saw his eyes darken again.  
You couldn’t hold back the laughter anymore, but it came out as more of a snort as you grabbed a cute little stuffed monkey as your prize. “Sorry boys! A woman has to keep some things hidden!”  
Tom grabbed your waist as you headed back to join the rest of the guys still eating. “Darling, really? Does anyone else know? I promise I won’t tell.”  
You batted your lashes at him. “Nope, and I appreciate the secrecy. I’d probably never hear the end of it!”  
Sebastian noticed the monkey. “So you won doll? Please don’t tell me he tried to guess your height?” He ran his hand just over the top of your head. You swatted him jokingly. “Jerk! No, he guessed my age… very wrongly I might add.” You squeezed the monkey close.  
“Ok! Now that we’ve gotten coasters out of the way, I want to head towards the carousel, please?” You batted your lashes again; it was proving a very effective tactic with this group.  
Seb nearly ran Josh over as he took your hand and pulled you in the direction of the carousel. You giggled at Seb’s enthusiasm, Josh shaking his head and laughing at the two of you. There was a short line for the ride, but only you and Seb were interested in riding. The line moved quickly; you did a lap around the carousel before spotting a unicorn tucked into the center. Seb saw you mounting the unicorn and raced over to help you. You squealed as his hands reached just low enough to graze your ass but high enough to be appropriate in front of the kids.   
He stood by you as the ride started. “You look awfully cute there babe.” The crinkles around his eyes made you grin. When your unicorn dipped down, you planted a quick kiss on his cheek. You saw the blush rise up on his neck and cheeks. He turned his back to the facing crowd and took your right hand as you held on to the ride with your left. Each dip down, Seb started kissing you randomly, on the hand, cheek, whatever he had access to. Just as the ride slowed, he pulled you in and softly pressed his lips to yours. A soft hum escaped and your face flamed. He pulled back to give you a smirk before biting on his lower lip again. The ride stopped completely; he tugged on your hand still in his grasp and helped you down.  
“Stop biting your lip,” you whispered as you exited. “It’s doing things to me.” He did it again before laughing and hugging you tight.  
With this flirting and kissing, I’m starting a slippery slope now, you thought as you joined your party.  
You linked arms with both Chris’s and started walking around the park. Before too long you came across a pavilion with a cover band in the middle of playing a Fall Out Boy song. You stopped to listen for a bit. The song ended and they started Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.” The rest of the guys started walking away, but Evans looked down at you with a smile. “May I have this dance?” You nodded; he guided you to join the other couples on the grass who were also dancing.  
“You seem to be having fun today,” he murmured. “You also seem a lot more relaxed.” You smiled up at him and wrapped your arms around his back resting your head on his chest.  
Josh, Idris, and Paul kept walking a bit, while the rest of the group stood around waiting for you and Evans to finish your dance. “Ten bucks on Evans,” Paul said.  
“You’re on! My money’s on Tom,” Josh replied. “This is a bet I’m confident on.”  
Idris laughed. “Should I just be a witness to this or should I join as well?’  
Paul chuckled. “It’s your money. Seriously, though, the googly eyes he makes at her? The jealous comments? That scene last week? He’s done for and if she’s not falling for him,” he nodded back towards the pavilion, “I’ll up my bet to $100.”  
Josh startled at the new amount. Then he grinned and shook his head. “I’m going to enjoy taking your money.”  
The song ended and you pulled away from Evans a little reluctantly and joined the rest of your group. Michael approached you. “Mind if we talk for a second?”  
“Sure! What’s up?”   
He hung back, keeping the two of you behind the guys as they headed towards the boardwalk a little ways up. “I’ve had a lot of fun and everything; you’re a really great person.”  
“But…”  
He smiled at you. “But I really miss my family and I can tell that you have your hands full. I like all three of them, so I know you’ll be in good hands no matter what.”  
You gave him a quizzical glance. “What?”  
“Y/n, come on! I’m not going to say you’ve been obvious, but clearly Tom, Seb, and Evans are all competing for you, and not this charity stuff.” He continued. “Like I said, all three are good guys, so either way I’ll know you’ll be good at the end of this.”  
“Are you sure you want to leave? You can at least stay for the rest of today?”  
He gave you a small hug. “Nah, but my family is meeting me here so we may spend the rest of the day here anyway.” You gave him a hug in return before he headed back towards the main entrance. You noticed Tom just ahead of you, his hand reaching back just slightly. You jogged up to him and took his hand.  
**  
The rest of the day went by in a blur. Boardwalk games made the remaining guys a bit competitive; at this point, you were getting pretty used to it. As you finally made your way to the exit, you had your stuffed monkey, a stuffed unicorn that made you think of “Despicable Me,” and a box of candied apples. Josh was carrying around a large stuffed teddy bear and an ear-splitting grin. “I am stronger than all of you!” Josh cheered. “I’m king of the world!”  
You laughed at his announcement. “Josh, your boys are gonna love that thing or be scared to death of it. Send me the video either way.”  
The limo van came into view and you sighed audibly. You were tired and eager to fall into bed when you got home. Idris took the stuffed animals off your hands so you could climb in; he took the seat next to you. “So tell me, was today as fun for you as it was for me?” You yawned and smiled at him.  
“Yup! Now I’m tired and sore. Tomorrow is going to be a lazy day for sure.”  
“Isn’t tomorrow another decision day?’  
“Yeah, but I think I know what I’m doing now. Finally.” You chuckled under your breath.  
“For what it’s worth, pick Seb.”  
You looked at Idris a bit incredulously. “You mean to win?”  
“Yes! He’s a great guy, supports a great charity and he certainly seems to like you.” He nodded towards the corner of the limo where Seb was staring in your direction. He blushed and looked away when you caught his gaze.  
You giggled and turned back to Idris. “Why do I have a feeling there’s more to your suggestion than just good will? Is there a bet going on about who wins?”  
Idris flashed his trademark smile. “I will neither confirm nor deny any bets.”  
**  
Tom nudged you. “Y/n, we’re home. Time to get out of the car.”  
You groaned and squeezed your eyes tight. You heard a deep chuckle. “I WILL carry you out of here if you don’t get up.”  
You couldn’t help the smirk as you blinked up and saw Tom’s gorgeous face. “Should I pretend to fall asleep then?”   
He threw his head back and laughed. “No darling, but if you hand over your prizes I’d be happy to escort you back to your room.” You groaned again and stretched your arms out. Tom gathered the stuffed animals and candied apples as you stepped out of the limo, following you close behind. The limo wasted no time in leaving while you stood outside enjoying the fresh air.  
You turned to Tom. “Come on, I’ll show you to my room.”  
He followed you past the living room and stairs to the guys’ rooms, down a narrow hallway. It seemed to go on forever, but you turned to a door on the right and put in your key. The suite was simple but nicely decorated. Tom deposited your items on the small desk right by the door.  
“I should get back before they suspect something,” the light in his eyes twinkled.  
“On one condition,” you smiled at him. “A goodnight kiss please?”  
Tom took two steps into your arms and dropped his head. “Are you sure?”  
You stood on your toes to meet him halfway. “Yes.”  
He pressed his lips to yours; you hummed in pleasure and wrapped your arms around his neck as best you could. The kiss was soft and gentle, but had a promising hint of more. You pulled away and hugged yourself to his chest.  
“I should really go now,” his voice was low and husky. You reluctantly pulled out of the hug. He dropped kiss on your cheek. “Good night darling.”  
“Good night.”  
**  
You jerked up and looked around. The room slowly came into focus in the soft sunlight; you glanced at the clock on the bedside stand: 8:12 am. You groaned, already an hour off schedule. You could only remember your last dream: a vivid one in which you were chasing down a dark figure, starting from your house down to a lake then through an amusement park. The figure was just starting to turn around when you woke up.  
You jumped in the shower to clear the cobwebs. After toweling dry and putting on sweat shorts and a tank top, you headed to the kitchen for anything still edible. Most of the guys were already out by the pool, lounging in the morning sun. Josh and Benedict were hanging out in the living room, reading the local paper. You greeted both as you started your coffee and hunted for a donut or bagel.  
“Bagels are gone,” Josh told you, “and the only donuts left are questionable at best. You may have to suffer with the cereal.” You groaned and stared at the three boxes left to choose. You shook the Frosted Flakes; satisfied it was still mostly full you poured a bowl and sat down with Josh and Benedict.  
“So, you guys want to weigh in? Everyone else seems to,” you half-joked.  
“Weigh in on what exactly?” Benedict glanced at you warily.  
“Who I should choose to win. Michael made a suggestion to me before he left, and I just assumed everyone else has an opinion too.” You grinned into your bite of cereal.  
Josh thought about your question for a moment. “Well, I definitely have my own opinions, but it’s really up to you at the end of the day. Need to talk it out?”  
You glanced out at the pool; everyone was still laying on chaises, sun dripping down. “If you don’t mind? I could use someone else’s brain to do my thinking.”  
Benedict snickered. “My brain is constantly being picked so may as well take advantage.”  
“Good, so you can tell me what you can about Tom,” you started. “Whatever you want to give up.”  
He folded the paper up, setting it on the coffee table in front of him and crossed his leg over his other knee, sitting back into the chair. “He’s thoroughly smitten with you. He does have doubts however; he feels he doesn’t know you well enough, so he doesn’t know if he should trust his feelings for you.” You half-smiled at the admission. “Here’s my advice on the single dating angle: wait until this is over. I know you have to pick a winner, but don’t let it dictate your feelings for anyone.”  
You looked at Benedict, confusion evident. He clarified “Let’s say you end up choosing Evans’ charity. That doesn’t mean you can’t see Sebastian after this. Or you pick Tom’s charity, but want to date Pratt. You’re human to want more than one thing here.”  
You thought about what Benedict was saying. That idea had never really crossed your mind and you were kicking yourself for your narrow focus. You shook your head. “You’re right. I’ve been so hyper focused on how this show normally works, that I totally forgot about my own first night speech.” You sunk back in your own seat. “Why do I keep forgetting these things?”  
“Because you’re human? With human feelings?” Josh tapped your knee with his foot. “It’s normal to feel the way you do. I’m guessing you’re having similar feelings and questions about Evans and Seb, right?”  
You nodded slowly. “Yes, but… I think what Benedict just said helps me understand my feelings better.”  
Both guys looked at you as you took another spoonful of cereal. “You don’t need to pick our brains anymore?” Josh teased.  
You swallowed and laughed. “No, but you guys have been such good friends to me. I can’t begin to thank you or show you my appreciation.”  
“Large denominations work wonders these days,” Benedict deadpanned.  
All three of you laughed loudly. Chris Pratt and Paul exchanged looks as they came in from the patio. “What is so funny?” Pratt asked.  
You took a couple of breaths to settle down and wiped a tear from your eye. “Nothing, just a really bad joke among really punch people.”  
**  
As promised, it was a lazy day for all of you. You knew what your decision was but gazed a bit fondly at the list you had made yourself a few weeks ago:  
Single: Hiddleston, Holland, Dominic, Evans, and Sebastian  
Married: Josh, Benedict, Mackie, Robert, Vin, Paul B, Paul R, Clark, Frank, and Michael  
?: Pratt and Idris  
About two hours prior to making your next appearance, you pulled out the dress you wanted to wear. You settled on a mix of the simple gold and silver rings you had brought and a simple silver cuff on your wrist before you made your way to hair and makeup. They knew you by now and took no time in curling up your hair and applying a natural makeup look. You looked golden and… happy. The smile on your face when you realized how happy you really were at that moment made Harrison whistle low. “Y/n, you look fantastic! Something special planned you’d like to share?”  
You smirked and lowered your gaze just a bit. “Nope. I just realized… I’m excited. I know what I want and tonight I’m going to go for it.”  
Harrison followed you to the living room where the guys were waiting. You noticed a couple of gaping mouths and couldn’t hold back the giggle. Harrison noticed as well and couldn’t help commenting. “I don’t know which of you guys caused this glow, but my hat’s off to you!”  
You shooed Harrison away and turned to your group of guys. “Hey!” You gave them a beaming smile. A tear actually leaked out and you shook your head and laughed at yourself. “Ok, I’m a crier, in case you didn’t know.” All nine guys laughed with you. “I’m really happy I’m doing this, and even happier because I realized today that I know what I want.” Your eyes shined as you said this. You took a deep breath ready to say the words.  
Harrison chose that moment to interrupt. “Y/n, may I have a word please?”  
You stared at him, speechless. You followed Harrison to the production booth. He ushered you in the booth and shut the door. “You’re going to kill me, but we needed a dramatic moment.”  
You rolled your eyes and smacked his arm. “Seriously?! I was about to…” You groaned. “I’m going back out.” You tried not to stomp away like a child but you felt the urge nonetheless. You heard Tom’s audible sigh and a couple breaths from some of the others.  
“Sorry about that! Ok, Harrison totally took the wind out of my sails.” A round of chuckles echoed in the room. “You guys are fast becoming my friends and I love that about all of you. No matter what the outcome here please, please keep in with me.  
With that said, I’m saying goodbye to tonight to Paul and Idris.”  
Both guys gave you warm hugs and their numbers. “I’m telling you, y/n, my family’s gonna love you! Pick one of these guys and start having babies so I can harass you and turn you that pink shade you’ve got going on right now!” Paul hollered as he walked to the front door. Idris was close behind him shaking his head and howling with laughter.  
You hung your head in embarrassment, but only for a second as you glanced back at the remaining guys. Paul’s comment didn’t really scare you as much as the immediate picture that formed in your head. You wondered if that image was just a few weeks from becoming a reality.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With two weeks left, will you finally listen to your heart?

“Can the rest of our time here just be spent at the pool?” The hat on your head stayed low but the sun warmed your arms and legs. The pool’s blue water sparkled and the light breeze tickled your cover up hanging from the back of your lounge chair. You heard a chorus of yeses and giggled. “Alright, everyone wins and we all stay poolside here forever.”  
A cloud covered up the sun; you took off your hat and glanced at the remaining… wait, one is missing, you thought to yourself. The patio door opened and Chris Pratt stepped out. He ambled towards you. “Hey, y/n, can I talk to you for a second?” You nodded and stood up, taking the hat with you.  
“So… I’m not sure how to say this,” Pratt started. You laid the hat down on the kitchen island and grabbed for a mug. “I think I should leave.”  
You turned around with a surprised expression. “Really? I mean, it’s not that you have to stay. I guess I’m just surprised is all.”  
“It’s just… I can see where this is going to end up, and I’d rather leave on my terms than yours,” he answered honestly.  
You smirked. “Really? Where is this going to end up?” He gave you a withering stare. “Seriously! What do you think is going to happen?”  
It was his turn to smirk at you. “It’s going to end up between Tom, Chris, and Seb and you’re going to drive yourself nuts on which one you really want.”  
You laughed. “You know me too well! I am totally a glutton for punishment. But…” you lowered your voice, “you’re probably right. I have to cut half of you. So unless Harrison or someone…” You thought about it for a moment.  
Harrison chose that moment to come into the room. “Y/n! Glad I was able to catch you so soon; can we talk for a moment?”  
“Um, Pratt and I were just finishing up here; can you give me a moment?”  
“Sure!” Harrison walked back towards the foyer.  
You turned to Pratt. “Are you really sure you want to leave?”  
He nodded. “You have been a great host and this has been a blast.” He gave you a quick kiss on the cheek and tossed his bag over his shoulder. Pratt shook the other gentleman’s hand as he walked out.  
Harrison approached you again. “I’m not here to shake anything up, I promise. I only wanted to let you know that we want to end with four guys next week instead of three.”  
You widened your eyes in surprise. “Ok that’s scary! I was going to tell you I wanted to do the same thing!” You narrowed your eyes immediately. “Wait a minute; I know why I wanted to do it. Why do you?”  
Harrison chuckled. “It came from further up; I don’t know who made the call exactly but it’s what they want. I’ll be honest; the show’s sponsors love the celebrity factor and the drama. I want to thank you again for doing this!”  
“I should really be thanking you! Despite my initial reluctance, and the freak out on day one, I’ve enjoyed meeting these amazing guys! But… is it weird that I could make a decision right now?”  
“Do you want to?”  
“No. Except for a couple of guys that are no longer here, these guys have become… friends. Good friends. I want to spend as much time with them as I can.” You could feel the tears coming, damn it!  
Harrison nodded. “Ok then, but tonight will be the last night and you will have to cut someone tomorrow.” With that, he left the house.  
You groaned and sank into the loveseat. You heard a crack of thunder and turned towards the patio door. It wasn’t raining yet so you ran out quickly to gather your book and towels. The guys were already doing the same and all of you made it inside just in time before a large bolt of lightning lit up the sky and rain started pouring down. Another crack of thunder sounded.  
Benedict looked around the room. “Did Pratt ever come down or is he sleeping still?”  
“He left.”  
The five guys turned to you rather startled. “Did he say why?” Chris asked.  
You shrugged. “He said he wanted to leave on his terms, which I respect.” You considered telling them about having to cut only one of them but a part of you told you to keep that to yourself. “I’m going to change out of this suit; can you guys come up with some fun indoor ideas for us?” They all responded yes and you excused yourself.  
Tom lowered himself onto the couch. “Wow.”  
Benedict looked at Tom in surprise. “Shouldn’t you be saying ‘yay’ instead?” He indicated the grins on both Chris and Seb’s faces. “They are clearly thinking it.”  
Seb’s smile was a mile wide. “You better believe I’m thinking it! I love all of you guys, but man… knowing she’s that much closer to a decision… I want to pull out every stop I can think of.”  
Chris grabbed his friend’s shoulder. “Dude, are we about to fight for the same girl? I’m not sure how I feel about that.” Chris’s grin dropped just a fraction at the thought.  
Josh noticed the slight tension in the room. “Guys, let’s not worry about her decision right now.” The rest of them looked at Josh in disbelief. “Seriously, she didn’t say a single word about having to make a cut, or making a decision right now. She wants us to have fun together. Can we give her that before we all start freaking out?”  
Benedict nodded. “Josh has a point. Not that we all haven’t learned about y/n in one way or another, but clearly making a big decision isn’t something she’d be so cavalier about.” Tom looked up at his friend wordlessly. “Let’s give her some time and see if she opens up on her own.”  
Tom excused himself to grab a shirt, with Benedict and Josh following suit. Chris and Seb glanced between each other. “Seb, really, I don’t want our friendship ruined over this,” Chris said.  
“I know, dude. It’s her choice. Neither one of us are trying to be underhanded, right? As long as we don’t get to that point, it’s on her and we are cool no matter what, ok?” Chris nodded in agreement.  
You came back into the living room wearing a pair of jeans and a loose fitted t-shirt. Your hair was down and wavy. Chris held back a groan; you had the appeal of the girl-next-door he was looking for. Chris promised himself in that moment that if you picked him, he wasn’t going to waste a single minute to make you his in a permanent way.  
Seb whistled at you and bit his lower lip. “Damn doll, do you always have to look that good?” He grabbed you in a quick hug. You swatted his back jokingly. “Seb stop with the lip biting! Honest to god, I should direct you to Tumblr to see what that kind of move does to a person.” You paused. “Never mind, you know EXACTLY what it does!”  
Tom, Benedict, and Josh came back in then. Tom grabbed you from behind and hugged you to his chest. “Might I borrow you for a second?” You turned and nodded, grabbing his hand leading him to the den that gone unused.  
Tom closed the door as you settled on to the small tan leather couch. He took the seat next to you; you moved right into his lap and snuggled against his chest. He took advantage and wrapped both arms around you holding you tight. “Darling, is this a good idea? You do have other gentleman to consider.” You hummed and snuggled closer. “I know, but you grabbed me first. Besides, you’re very snuggly.” You smiled to yourself. You felt Tom kiss the top of your head and sighed. It was easy to forget where you were or why you were there.  
Finally, you felt Tom’s arms loosen and push you back slightly. His green-grey eyes searched your face for something. He found whatever he was looking for as he lowered his head to capture your lips with his. A soft moan escaped from both of you. It wasn’t gentle at all; his teeth bit into your lower lip causing you to gasp and his tongue pushed in, teasing yours. Your hands dug into his curls, grasping at his head to angle the kiss deeper, harder. You could feel his erection beneath you and you could feel yourself growing wet in response.  
Someone cleared their throat loudly. You and Tom pulled away from each other gasping for breath; you turned your head towards the door. Benedict was leaning against the frame smirking at the two of you. “Sorry to interrupt, but I need to talk to both of you if I may.” You nodded mutely and disentangled yourself from Tom. Benedict stepped in and shut the door.  
“I know it’s not my place, and I can see you’re getting along just fine,” he lounged against the fireplace mantle, “but unless you’re planning on making out with everyone you should probably keep a little distance.” He gave you a rather pointed look.  
You gave Tom a peck on the lips then moved off his lap completely. “You’re not wrong, but you’re also right that it’s not entirely your place. If you want me to be honest, I’ve kissed Sebastian and Dominic, when he was here. I’m not a saint, but I also don’t plan on sleeping with people either.” You looked directly at Tom. “As long as you and I are being honest with each other, is this going to be an issue?”  
Tom ran a hand through his hair and glanced at Benedict. Benedict rolled his eyes but took the hint, leaving the room. Tom sighed and faced you. “Darling I’m not going to say I’m happy about it; but you’re right. I have no current claim on you and you are being honest with me.” He ran his hand through his beard this time. “I… feel something for you, more than just this physical connection. I will wait one more week, but believe me when I say it’s going to be the death of me, this waiting!”  
You pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Thank you for understanding. We should probably get back.” You gave him a rueful smile and got up from the couch. Tom led the way back to the living room where Chris and Seb were arguing with Josh.  
“I’m telling you, it’s definitely a bird.”  
“If that’s a bird, I’m a toad,” Josh snorted.  
“It’s. A. Bird.” Chris seethed through clenched teeth.  
“Guys? Um, something I can assist with?” you offered.  
Chris held up the large white pad with a drawing. “Chris, hon, that’s not a bird. It’s supposed to be a penguin, but that’s not what it actually looks like.” Chris made a face at you. “Ok Miss Smarty Pants that guessed correctly, what does it look like?”

You had to laugh. “Honestly?” Chris nodded. “I thought it was a snowman with some questionable body parts on display…” Your laughs turned into snorts. “Clearly not what you were going for but still!” You manage to recover from laughing, coughing to clear your throat.  
Seb grabbed the pad and a pencil. “My turn!”  
“Wait, you guys have been playing Pictionary without ME? Nah-ah, it’s MY turn.” You stretched your hands out to Seb and made a “gimme” motion. Seb stuck his tongue out at you and grinned.  
“Nope, my turn, doll. You can go next.” He picked up a card lying face down on the coffee table and rolled his eyes. “This is going to go well.” He held the pad up and started drawing.  
“Money!” Seb shook his head and kept drawing. “Banking?” Seb shook his head again and kept going  
“Hollywood?” you asked. Seb groaned and shook his head again. He ripped off the full page and tried again as time counted down.  
“Shopping?” Tom asked. The timer buzzed and Seb groaned.

“Retail!” He looked right at you. “Didn’t you used to WORK in retail?”   
You tilted your head looking at his first drawings. “Was that supposed to be a MALL?” You giggled. “Ok, my turn. Let’s see how bad I do!”  
You pulled the card and looked down at the word ‘queen.’ Piece of cake, you thought to yourself.  
“Crown,” Tom answered. You mimed to keep thinking.

“Royalty?” Seb guessed. You mimed again to keep going.  
“What the…?” Chris started chuckling.

You started pointing back and forth between the top left corner and the main drawing. The timer sounded as Josh yelled “QUEEN!” You burst into a fit of giggles at all of them. “Ok, I’m horrible at this! Any other ideas?”  
Seb’s eyes twinkled mischievously. “I’m thinking Never Have I Ever? I’m sure we could find some alcohol around here and get you drunk doll.” You threw your head back and laughed. “Depends on the questions there, Seabass, but I want to remember most of today and tonight so I vote for something less dangerous.”  
Josh stood up from his seat. “I’m going to go hunt down board games. Who’s coming with me?” You scrambled up and hooked your arm into his.   
As you and Josh walked away chatting about what board games would easily piss everyone off (Monopoly started the list) Seb started looking around the kitchen for a snack.  
“So Tom, what did you guys talk about?” Chris inquired.  
Tom quirked an eyebrow at Chris, wondering how much to say. “Nothing serious. Looking forward to this ending after next week.”  
Seb sighed heavily. “Already? Why do I feel unprepared for this to end?”  
Chris flashed him a grin. “Because you haven’t gotten into her pants yet?”  
Seb laughed and even Tom had to chuckle. “No! I just feel like there’s more I want to know.”  
**  
Josh put one last box into your arms. “You sure you’ve got ‘em?”  
You giggled behind the pile. “Yup! Just don’t push me!” You walked out the door and Josh followed behind. “Do you think they’ll go for any of these?”  
“I think we have every game we could find. I’m sure we can agree to something.”  
You heard muffled voices as you approached the living room. You could have sworn you heard the word ‘pants’ but choose to ignore it. “Could one of you find me in this pile?” You felt boxes moving quickly and a smiling Chris appeared in front of you. He leaned in to press a kiss to your cheek. “Thanks Chris!”  
“Ok, I’m already vetoing Monopoly; Tom is a sore loser and Seb always manages to win,” Chris said. “Trivial Pursuit would be good; Apples to Apples, who plays that anymore?” You giggled and shook your head. Josh set down his pile of games and Chris finished judging all of them. “Ok I’m picking Trivial Pursuit.” He opened the game and set it up quickly.  
Two hours later, you were all half-passed out on the floor of the living room, not a single completed pie among you. You were laying on your stomach, arms tucked under your head, which turned to the left. You felt a warm breath on your face and you slowly opened your eyes. Chris was hovering over you, his arm draped over your back pulling you into him. You smiled and closed your eyes, enjoying the snuggle session. You felt Chris’s hands move over your back, then down to your ass and squeezed. You stifled a yelp, instead pulling back to smirk at him. His eyes were darker; his face came down and slanted over your lips. Unlike Tom’s kiss that affected you physically, this kiss seemed to affect you emotionally; your heart leapt and a tear trailed down your cheek. Chris pulled back and followed your tear with his thumb. “Are you ok?” You smiled and nodded, afraid your voice or words would betray you.  
**  
You woke up to the sound of rain again. You realized you were on the couch, with a blanket draped over you. You started to call out for one of the guys; from somewhere close by, you could hear muffled voices. You sat up stretching out your arms, and then gathered the blanket around you. Tiptoeing around, you found the voices in the den.  
“Do you love her?” You thought the voice belonged to Sebastian.  
“I don’t know?” You were fairly certain it was Chris answering.  
“Does it matter yet if we don’t love her?” Tom asked. “I know the physical connection is there, but this never gave any of us a chance to really… date her…”  
You backed away from the door, your heart a bit sick at the notion that you could potentially leave here with no one.  
“Y/n, you’re awake!” Josh gave you a welcoming hug. “Pizza’s on its way.”  
The den door opened and Sebastian peered out at you with a lazy smile. “Did I hear pizza? We’ll be out in a minute!”  
You motioned for Josh to follow you back towards the living room.  
“What’s up y/n? You look…”  
You rubbed your hands over your face, then through your hair, gathering it into two makeshift ponytails.   
“Hey there Sleeping Beauty,” Tom interrupted. He stood beside you and brushed a soft kiss on your right cheek. “Hungry?” You gave him a soft smile and leaned into his side, his left hand grasping your waist. You wanted to confront all three guys about what you heard; the thought of even doing that had you feeling emotional. You stepped away from Tom and went back to the couch curling up in the blanket. You put your head down on the armrest and kept your eyes down.  
Tom, Sebastian, and Josh regarded you with concern. “What’s wrong? Y/n, are you ok?” You nodded briefly. “I’m ok.”  
Chris frowned and took a seat beside you; he pulled you over into his lap and stroked your hair. “Come on y/n. Clearly, you’re not fooling any of us. Why are you so grumpy?”  
“The word is listless, not grumpy, and I’m fine,” you replied still looking down.  
The doorbell sounded; Josh headed for the door. Sebastian sat on the other side of you and pulled your feet into his lap; wordlessly he started rubbing your legs and feet. Josh carried in the five pizza boxes and laughed at the spectacle on the couch.  
“Y/n, if I had my phone, this picture would be on Instagram in a second; the three of you look so pathetically adorable!” Josh laughed to himself as he put the pizzas out on the kitchen island. “Seb, stop moping and get a piece already.”  
Seb’s face split into a grin as he busted out laughing. “Dude, with all the cock blocking it’s hard to get a piece around here.” You tried to hold back your snicker while Chris just flat out lost it and belly laughed. You could hear the rumble deep in his belly as you gave into your snickers. Even Tom was laughing with the three of you. Josh rolled his eyes. “Jesus, it’s like a frat in here or something.”  
You pulled your legs out of Seb’s grasp and sat up. “How bad’s the hair?” No one responded. “Come on dudes! Chris has been doing this rub, pulling, scratching thing to my head this whole time. How BAD is it?” You heard Chris groan as you raised up off the couch and walked over to the hallway mirror. Pieces of hair were sticking up on the sides; a ratted nest of hair sat just off the crown. You giggled and smoothed your hair out as best you could. The pizza smelled divine and your stomach growled loudly. You abandoned your hair and grabbed two big pieces of pepperoni and a Cherry Pepsi.  
You looked around the room eyeing each of the guys. Tom and Benedict seemed deep in thought as they silently chewed. Chris and Seb were play jousting with their pizza slices. Josh balanced against the kitchen island; you moved to stand next to Josh and elbowed him. “Thank you for breaking the tension,” you whispered.   
“Yeah what was that about exactly?”  
You took a bite of your pizza and chewed, giving yourself a moment to think. “I heard Tom, Chris, and Seb talking about me. For a moment, it sounded like maybe I would be going home alone after this; I panicked.”  
Josh wiped his hands then pulled you into a side hug. “I can understand why you’d think that, not knowing what they actually said. But look at them; do you really think they don’t care about you?”  
You picked up your pizza and took another bite before answering. “I guess that’s my problem, I guess I don’t know to trust what I think.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A guy goes home, but there’s another surprise waiting for all of you.

You were trying to decide if the weather was affecting your mood, or if your parents forgot to tell you about your relationship to the God of Thunder. A torrential downpour greeted you that morning and didn’t seem to want to stop. Thunder and lightning punctuated the morning almost every hour like clockwork. You decided to throw on the black jumpsuit and silver cardigan you brought, before heading out for breakfast.  
The kitchen was quiet; you appeared to be the only one up now so you took advantage and sat down with the newspaper. Nothing new seemed to be going on in the word; the president’s tweets were still silly, your hometown sports team seemed to be up and down in the standings, even the New York Times crossword confounded you as usual. Frustrated with the last down clue, you got up and made yourself a cup of coffee. While the Keurig took its time, you toasted a bagel and pulled out the cream cheese. You heard feet shuffling and looked up; Seb’s bedhead still made him look beautiful but his lips formed a frown. “No coffee for me?” he grumbled.  
You pulled your mug from the machine and let him fix his own. “Didn’t sleep well?” you asked then took a bite of your bagel. You hummed in appreciation. Seb grabbed your waist and pulled you into his chest; he kissed you quickly and rubbed his head against your neck. You smiled softly and hugged him tight. Your body was definitely responding to the kisses and touches from all of the guys, that much was clear. What was becoming less clear was where your heart stood. You pulled out of the hug and gave Seb a lopsided grin. “I’m headed to the couch if you want to join me?”  
You set your coffee on the table and balanced your plate on your knee as you thumbed through an old magazine. The couch dipped and Seb sat next to you, left hand curled around his coffee while his right arm rested across your shoulders. “Come ‘ere,” he pulled you into his side. You obliged him and snuggled into his side after setting the bagel next to your coffee. “So y/n, I wanted to ask you a question; be as honest as you can. Do you think you could see us together?”  
You really thought about his question. You didn’t want to blurt out an answer, but at the same time, you had never given much thought about it either. Seb shifted underneath you slightly. “Hmm, silence isn’t a good sign,” he said.  
You pulled back to look him straight in the eye. “I honestly don’t know. I feel like I only know certain things about you, on a personal level. I know there’s definitely a physical connection,” you smirked and gestured at his body. “You’re built like a fucking god.”  
“But…”  
“There’s no ‘but.’ I feel that my answer to you, and to Chris, and to Tom, is that I want the chance to see you outside of this. I actually want to DATE one of you, if that’s ok?”  
You could see Seb’s mind working and a frown appeared on his face again. “So you’re really not making this money decision based on your feelings for us?”  
“Nope!” The ‘p’ sound came out like a bubble gum pop. “If you want to date me, it’ll be when this is all over. Is that ok?”  
“I didn’t expect that answer, to be honest.” Seb’s frown faded and he pulled you back towards him kissing your forehead and snuggling you close. “Where the hell have you been hiding, really?”  
You giggled. “Nowhere. I’ve just been waiting for the right guy to come along.”  
**  
The rest of the morning was uneventful. The guys woke up not too long after you and Seb; everyone got their own breakfast and kept quiet. It was unusual but you took advantage by sizing up the guys in your mind. You had told Seb about your plan for dating after this was over, and he seemed okay with it, but would Chris or Tom be okay?  
Your first instinct was Tom; your first instinct was always Tom. Something about him just gave you a sense of…. belonging? Safety? You couldn’t quite find the right word to describe your feelings. You just knew that, no matter what was going on, you could confide in him, trust him, and knew he would be there for you. Chris, on the other hand, always kept you on your toes a bit. You knew you could feel an emotional connection more than a physical one; but his previous reactions, what you assumed was jealousy, made you cautious. Sebastian was the wild card of sorts. He was beautiful and you knew the physical connection was there; your mind tried to think of the conversations you had with Seb and fell short because, well, you never talked. All of your alone time with Seb was memories of kisses, lots of kisses, which made you giggle like a teenager. Maybe… just maybe you were ready to discuss what you wanted with them. You decided to wait a bit.  
As the afternoon rolled around, and the skies had cleared up, you asked Tom to come with you to the cabana. As you both took a seat, Tom smiled at the memory of you snuggling up to him that first one-on-one moment you had. “Hard to believe it’s been so long ago!” He kissed your left cheek and pulled you against his side. “You wanted to talk to me about something I gathered?”  
You sighed. “Yes, but… no, no buts. Yes, I wanted to let you know that I want a chance to date you, after this is over. Is that something you would be ok with?”  
You could hear Tom’s heartbeat pick up, and then settle down again, as he took a breath. His right hand moved from encircling your waist to hug you across the shoulders, then stroked your hair. “Darling, I don’t know. That’s not really a question I expected from you, to be honest.” He cleared his throat. “I have feelings for you that go beyond this physical connection we have. I want more for both of us and I don’t know if I’m willing to wait.”  
You pulled away and steadied yourself. It wasn’t that you were surprised at Tom’s response; you were however surprised at your own emotional response hearing that he wouldn’t wait for you. “Tom, I appreciate the honesty.” You steeled yourself and turned to face him. “Regardless of my choices here, I know that I have feelings for you and... Seb and Chris… I need to sort that out for myself and I get that. However, I need to know that you can be patient with me making this choice. I’m not putting a timeline on you, or them, or myself. If you can’t give me that, maybe…”  
Tom saw your eyes watering and he wanted to kick himself. Instead, he put his arms out; you moved into them climbing onto his lap. “Y/n, I’m sorry. It came out rather bluntly, didn’t it?” He didn’t give you a chance to reply. “I’ve never been good at being patient with people; it tends to be my fatal flaw.” You heard the rumble in his chest as he chuckled to himself. “Yes, I am willing to wait for you; I want to be honest though and say that none of us will wait forever. You know that.”  
You nodded. There had been a part of you from day one that quietly told you Tom was going to be the one; you had shoved it so far down because you wanted to give everyone else a fair chance. Now, knowing who would be leaving next and what you wanted at the end of this, that part was surfacing hard and fast.  
Before you could say anything, however Chris interrupted the two of you. “Y/n, can I see you for a moment, please?” You kissed Tom on the cheek and moved off his lap. Tom was rooted to his seat, so Chris guided you back towards the house. Your stomach rumbled and you both laughed.  
“Let’s head to the kitchen please?”  
“After you.”  
You opened the frig, pulling out the last of the lunchmeat and mustard. You dug up slices of white bread and made yourself a sandwich. Chris found some cheese and started up the stovetop to make himself a grilled cheese. The two of you moved around each other with ease as you prepared your lunches. You sat at the island, taking a big bite of your sandwich. Chris poured himself some barbeque chips before sitting down next to you.  
“Are you going to tell me you’re in love with me,” you joked to ease the tension. Chris’s eyes widened and he coughed on the bite he had. “Sorry! I was joking around there; wasn’t trying to kill ya.”  
Chris wiped his napkin over his mouth then turned towards you, his left knee caging you in. “I don’t know if I’m ‘in love’ but… I know you’re the kind of person I’ve been looking for, for a very long time.” His eyes were crystal blue and shining as he said those words. You felt butterflies in your stomach as he took your empty hand. “Y/n I meant every word I said to you that first time we talked. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted, and the last thing I ever expected to find here.” He leaned in and brushed his lips to yours. You sighed and smiled up at him. The butterflies hadn’t eased but you knew from his tone he was being honest and sincere.  
You turned back to your sandwich and finished it quickly. Chris chuckled as he watched you eat. “I also like a girl with an appetite.” You winked at him and giggled.  
Harrison walked into the living room. “May I have everyone gather in here please?” You rolled your eyes and smirked as Benedict and Josh came in, followed by Seb. Tom was just coming in from the patio. “Ok, y/n, it may seem sudden but it’s time to make a decision.”  
You gave a curt nod and stood up. “While I appreciate all five of you being here, and being such incredible friends to me, the person I’m letting go is Benedict.” You reached over to take his already extended hand. “Can we chat for a second?” You followed him to his room to gather his suitcase. You chuckled at the items already packed up. You settled down on his bed as he grabbed his last remaining items. “Any last words of wisdom for me?”  
He turned to you with a smile. “Nope. You don’t know it yet, or you haven’t admitted to yourself yet, but you know who you’re going to pick.” He placed his remaining items in his suitcase and zipped it up. Then he took a seat beside you and took your left hand. “Your head has been doing all of the deciding up to this point, I know it. You need to stop using your head and use this instead,” pointing at your chest.  
“My boobs?” you joked. You both laughed. Then he grew serious. “I mean it. That, right there, knows what the decision is here. Do you want me to say it out loud? Will that honestly help you?”  
“Yes, I want to hear you say it.”  
“Fine. You love Tom. Tom is falling for you. If you don’t believe that now, you never will. Trust him. Trust yourself.” He stood up and started to walk out of the room. You stayed on the bed as he walked away.  
You heard the low din of the goodbyes but you stayed glued to your spot, rethinking everything that had happened over the past eight weeks. Thunder sounded in the distance. You turned around to look out the window. Seriously, I have to talk to mom or dad about this, you told yourself jokingly.  
**  
“Y/n, wake up.” A hand shook you gently. You groaned and turned away from the offending hand. “Y/n, you have to wake up or I’m pouring a bucket of water all over you and this bed,” Josh teased. You felt a sprinkle of water on your face and you turned back around. ‘Hey, beautiful, going to sleep the rest of the day away?”  
You groaned and sat up slowly. “How long have I been out?”  
“Long enough to miss the fireworks downstairs.”  
“What?!” You stood up, but Josh blocked your way. “Y/n, it’s ok. Everyone’s in one piece.”  
You narrowed your eyes at Josh. “Why were there fireworks then?”  
“Blame Benedict! As he was leaving and saying goodbye, he looked right at Tom and said ‘Just tell her you love her.’ Chris started yelling at Tom and Seb had this bewildered look on his face. Tom took all of Chris’s yelling, for about 20 minutes, before he slumped into a chair and started talking to himself. THAT shut Chris up.”  
“Where are they now?”  
Josh put his hand on your left shoulder. “They’re out on the patio talking. Do you want to talk to them?” You nodded. Josh let his hand drop to your back as you stood up and started out of the bedroom. You stopped suddenly and turned, giving Josh a big hug. You buried your face in his chest. “Thank you again for being a friend and putting up with my sorry ass.” He laughed brightly. “No problem! And I imagine after all of this I’ll get to do it again and again. Although next time I may let Ginnifer at you; she’s a lot like you!”  
You both headed back to the living room. Tom, Chris and Seb were coming back in from the patio. Before any of you could say a word, Harrison appeared again.  
“So gang, I have some good news and some bad news…”  
“Bad news,” you answered immediately.  
Harrison chuckled. “I was going to just give them both to you but ok, bad news first. This is the end.”  
All three guys look dumbfounded, while Josh simply cheered. “Freedom!” You smacked his chest playfully. “Jerk!”   
“No you’re the jerk,” he teased.  
Harrison glanced among the group. “Here’s the good news. The show has picked up quite the following in social media and with our sponsors. So much so that all four of you gentlemen are the winners. Congratulations!”  
You stared at Harrison dumbly. After all of the drama and angst… “Why?” You shook your head. “Let me try that again, what? Why? What?”  
“Three excellent questions,” you heard Tom muttering.  
Harrison noted your tone and calmed himself down a notch. “Take a moment y/n. I know there have to be many questions but let me explain this first. This isn’t even on the air yet, and the social media is already through the roof, literally. While all of you were… sequestered, to use the best word, other people got wind of who was here. No one here actually said anything; there was an NDA for that. But it happens. Celebrity players, drama, the premise of the show to start, it became a sensation! The result was having more money to donate towards the winning charity. More than enough that my bosses decided that it should go to more than one. So each charity is getting $25,000.00!”  
That got all of the guys’ attention. Chris sank into the nearest chair muttering to himself. Seb still stood but had a big grin on his face. Josh sat down in another chair gob smacked. Tom looked at you, still standing, and gently took your hand. You looked down at him smiling; you sat next to him, keeping your hand tucked into his.  
Harrison took advantage of the silence to make one more announcement. “Y/n, I know you agreed to do this for charity. It was practically your requirement to get you to agree to this. But…” he looked at your hand in Tom’s, “it seems that more could come out of this than just a generous donation. If you want, the show is willing to do one more thing for you.”  
You found your voice. “What’s that?”  
“Send you and the gentleman of your choosing on a romantic getaway. Your choice of destination. What do you say?”


	10. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look back and a sneak peek into the future

I really made the best decision. Ok, maybe I didn’t listen to the part where Chris Harrison offered a romantic destination. Oh wait, he’s headed this way, so I have to turn this camera off for now. It’s our alone time.  
You wink as you put the camera away. He reaches behind you pulling you into a tight hug. You sigh and melt into him. Yeah you definitely picked the right one.  
**  
Chris Harrison studied your expression at his last offer. “So y/n, what do you say?”  
You blinked a couple of times. You looked at your hand entwined with Tom’s hand. You glanced up at Chris and Seb who were staring at you. Josh was still doing his dance of joy much to your amusement. You glanced back at Harrison. “I want some time to think about that. I would love a romantic getaway; I’m just not 100% sure who it would be with?”  
“Fair enough! As it’s a Wednesday, we’re letting you all stay here if you want for the rest of the week. All residents will have to leave by Saturday at noon. Y/n, do you think you want to stay?”  
You glanced down at the floor, wishing it would swallow you whole for just this moment. “No, I would like to go home before I make this decision.”  
“Good! That means the show will come to you, with Chris, Tom, and Sebastian. Will Sunday be ok?”  
You nodded. Harrison bid his farewell to all of you. Chris turned to you immediately. “Y/n, please stay?”  
“No. I need some space right now. I need to know how I feel outside of this environment and I can’t do that here. Tell me you understand?” you whispered.  
Sebastian sat on the couch arm and took your other hand, rubbing his thumb along your palm. “Doll, I’m going to miss you, but I understand.” He kissed your cheek softly and whispered. “It’s ok, I know.”  
You turned to Seb with glassy eyes. Your emotions were starting to flow along with the inevitable tears that came with it. You got up on your knees to give Seb a warm hug. “Thank you,” you whispered back.  
Chris watched you interact with Seb dispassionately. He cleared his throat as Seb pulled out of your embrace. “So y/n, do you think your hometown is ready for us?” Chris tried his best to sound cheerful.  
“Not in the least,” you teased. “Josh, exactly what do you call that dance move?”  
Josh stuck his tongue out at you and laughed. “It’s called the ‘I just won a $25,000.00 prize for a charity and didn’t have to do something crazy to do it’ dance. You should join me!”  
You threw your head back and laughed easily. “Crazy, hu? You may want to think back to the challenge at the winery before you keep doing that move.” Josh stopped in mock horror. “That was not CRAZY! Messy, but not crazy.” He amended quickly.  
“Ok, well I’m going to go pack, if anyone wants to join me?’ You started your way to your room. Chris fell into step with you.  
“Be honest with me, have we really been making this tough on you?” You entered your room and started gathering up the clothes left hanging in the closet. You gave Chris a quick glance before turning back to the closet. He tried to recover from the growing silence. “You don’t HAVE to answer that, I’m just… I’m nervous here.”  
You stopped stuffing the clothes into your suitcase and straightened. You regarded this handsome guy standing in front of you. His hands were stuffed into the back pockets of his jeans; his ball cap was turned backwards; his blue eyes seemed a bit dull compared to earlier. Wordlessly you walked around the bed making your way to him. He grabbed you by the waist and lifted you up. Instinctually you wrapped your legs around his waist and your arms around his neck, clinging like a koala. He sat both of you on the bed and he heard you sniffle. He smoothed a hand over your hair and murmured low “It’s ok” over and over. You tucked your head under his chin and sniffed again. “I think I’ve fallen for both of you, for different reasons, so yeah. As far as making a decision right now, I’m screwed.” You kept your head buried; Chris looked up and saw Tom in the doorway frowning. Chris opened his mouth, but Tom shook his head. He had heard your last comment, knowing there was nothing he could do to help you. You had to figure this out on your own. Chris turned his attention back to soothing you as Tom walked away.  
**  
Ok, I’m back; this trip has been amazing! I didn’t know what I was getting into when I suggested it; it’s a complete 180O from my world. Here’s the thing: despite what I might have said earlier, this HAS been romantic for me. Seeing him in a foreign element and thriving? Sexy as hell. His love for the work that’s being done and what we’re doing here? Makes me love him even more. Being here has brought us such joy; I will never ever get tired of seeing that gorgeous smile on his face. For those of you who are oohing, awing, and making predictions about where this ends up, I’m going to let you in on a little not-really-secret conversation we had. A couple of days ago weddings and kids came up; we both agreed we’re getting married and that kids will be a ‘take it as it happens’ thing. In bed later though, he made the comment of seeing me round with a kid and, well… things escalated! The next morning I had asked him, what if, by some twist of fate, I couldn’t naturally conceive and his response was we could just adopt one of these rascals. We both laughed but the look between us was like, DUH! Ok, it’s almost our personal time again. I can’t wait for everyone to see what we’ve been doing!  
You put the camera back down and smiled down at your stomach.  
**  
You plopped your suitcase out of your trunk with a grin. It felt so good to be back in your hometown; your first stop was to your bed! You wasted no time getting back into your place, letting the suitcase and your coat land where they may, and ran into your bedroom throwing yourself on your duvet with a grin.  
The next morning you unpacked and started up a load of laundry. Just as you were putting the former load into the dryer, your doorbell sounded. You finished quickly and ran to the door. Your mom, brother, and best friend greeted you with big warm hugs. You couldn’t stop smiling and hugging them. Finally your brother teased “Jesus, y/n, you would think you had come home from somewhere other than paradise surrounded by celebrities?” You pulled away and laughed wiping a tear from your cheek.  
“You’re right; the last three weeks were pretty exhausting though.” You let everyone else take a seat before you settled yourself. “I can’t talk specifics, but I’ve fallen for two of the guys. They’ll be here Sunday for a decision, but no matter what, I know I’m going to be hurting someone.” You rested your head on your chin and looked at the three of them with wide eyes. “Any bright ideas on how to make this life changing decision?”  
**  
This video diary idea was a good one. I don’t know how much of it the show will use but I’ve already been promised two copies once we get back.  
“Honey, are you in there recording again?”  
“Yes dear!” Look at us, already sounding like an old married couple. Really though, every day I’m more in love than I ever thought possible. I’m going to spend the rest of my life with this man and I couldn’t be happier!  
You put the camera down for the last time. You hollered back to him again. “I’m done now! You can come in!”  
**  
After filling in your mom, brother, and best friend on the events of the last two months, all three sat back and took a moment to soak it all in. “So now you understand how I’m in this predicament right?” You waited for one of them to agree with you. They remained silent. “Guys?”  
Your best friend was the first one to come out of her stupor. “Are you SERIOUS? Ok, I’m only going to say this once, and if I sound like anyone you know feel free to apologize to them: you’re freaking in love!”  
Your brother also agreed. “Y/n, honestly, I could beat you up right now. Come on! I’m guessing that someone, somewhere down the line of your dating history, made you think that you weren’t good enough. The ONLY reason you’re ‘debating’ between these two guys is to have a reason to pick neither.”  
Your mom still sat silently. “Mom, are you ok?”  
“I will be when you pull your head out of your ass,” she quipped. Your jaw dropped; your brother & best friend laughed their asses off. “Y/n, don’t do this to yourself, this overthinking things. Do you know you told us at least three times how much you care about this guy more than you told us about the actual dates or any other guy?”  
Your mom’s gaze softened. “You love him; if he loves you half as much as you love him, I’ll be happy for both of you.”  
**  
Sunday took its sweet ass time coming around. You had been nervous as hell, preparing to tell one guy goodbye and to tell the other how you were falling in love. You went through your entire closet with your best friend, twice, before you settled on a simple pair of jeans and a flowy flowery top, with tan ankle boots. When your doorbell rang, you took a deep breath. Tom stood before you in a blue pinstriped suit; the beard was gone and the hair trimmed down but still curling. You couldn’t help the ear-splitting grin; he pulled you into a long embrace. Reluctantly you pulled away to greet your other guests; the doorway was empty. Tom settled himself on your couch while you peered outside. There was no Chris Harrison and no Chris Evans.  
“They’re not coming,” Tom stated simply. You turned to look at him curiously as you shut the door. “And why are they not coming?” Tom patted the seat beside him. You chuckled, ignoring the offer and sat on his lap. He hummed and pulled you against his chest, leaning back into the couch.  
“Well, I may have told Evans that come hell or high water, I was going to fight for you. He seemed to want to argue with me at first, and then conceded. I told Chris Harrison that if I was going to do this properly, I didn’t want a camera crew or any type of production around it. I practically had to promise our firstborn along with rights to our wedding, but here I am. I am head over heels falling in love with you, y/n.”  
The damn tears were falling furiously but you couldn’t stop the smile in your eyes or on your face. “I’m in love with you; aren’t we a pair of idiots for not saying so sooner?”  
He chuckled low and wiped a tear from your cheek. “I’d very much like to kiss you now. Possibly forever, if that’s ok?” His forehead pressed against yours for a moment. You tipped your head up and met him halfway. His lips were soft against yours; it wasn’t insistent, it was slow and sure. He bit your bottom lip and you sighed; his tongue pressed in and swept against yours. You pulled back for just a moment, catching a breath and looking into his eyes. “Forever is ok with me,” you whispered with a smile.  
**  
“Darling, are you going to keep fiddling with that thing or are you coming with me?”  
“I’m almost done, I promise!”  
“Sudanese children are known for their patience, thank heavens!”  
“Our children will be less lucky then.”  
Tom chuckled and pulled you in for a brief kiss as you disconnected the camera from your laptop. He rested his chin on your head, reading your last email aloud. “Darling, you mistyped that last line. Can’t wait to show our kid….” He stopped and stared down at you. “Really?”  
You giggled, turning around to look up at him “Falling in love first, admitting it last. Promising forever first, getting pregnant instead. We sure now how to do things in our own time, don’t we?”


End file.
